Crawford & Company is expanding its presence in the Middle East region with the opening of a new office in Qatar.

The new office, which will augment services already provided to clients from Crawford’s established operations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, will house a team of adjusters and marine surveyors providing support to clients with a vast array of risk exposures, from marine and offshore energy to consulting and construction.

“We are delighted to be able to announce our new presence in Qatar. We see this country as a very significant, growing and sustainable economy, with huge infrastructure spend and a need for quality insurance and marine claims consulting service providers,” says Mark Harman, chief executive officer, Continental Europe, Middle East & Africa. “Our Middle East team across the region is growing and our intention is to expand across all disciplines.”

Crawford’s overall outlook for the growth potential in the Middle East is positive, with the Company’s expertise in demand to support a wide range of sectors insured locally and across the international markets. Qatar’s development is expected to continue to be robust as it solidifies its position as global economic power.

Qatar was awarded the 2022 FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for football (soccer), and the event is expected to result in the creation of numerous major construction projects. Mark adds that while Qatar is obviously known for its oil and natural gas industries, the country has significant needs for professional services that cover plans for expansion in a broad range of business sectors.

“Qatar has ambitious plans to grow a mixed economy and the infrastructure build is very significant, especially for roads and railways. The World Cup is an obvious catalyst for tourism growth but there