Beyond business cards: How Happy People Doha is redefining networking in Qatar

Doha, Qatar: In an age where networking is often reduced to hurried introductions and the exchange of business cards, Happy People Doha (HPD) is resha...

Doha, Qatar: In an age where networking is often reduced to hurried introductions and the exchange of business cards, Happy People Doha (HPD) is reshaping what professional connection looks like. 

At its core is a simple but powerful idea: intentional networking focused on building trust and mutual support, rather than transactional exchanges. 

“Happy People Doha isn’t about walking into a room and handing out business cards to as many people as possible,” says its founder Ann Pluto Williams. 

“It’s about slowing things down and actually getting to know who you’re standing next to. We focus on conversations, not pitches.” What began in 2019 as a small WhatsApp group quickly evolved into a structured community with a deeper purpose. What started as casual conversations among like-minded individuals soon evolved into a structured community with a clear purpose, creating genuine human connections in a fast-paced expatriate environment. 

Seven years on, HPD has evolved into a formally recognised professional networking group bringing together more than 300 members including several ambassadors, diplomats, CEOs, senior leaders and creatives from more than 75 nationalities.