United Development Company (UDC) was founded in 1999 to establish, manage and operate a growing and diversified portfolio of high quality business and industrial investments. It was created as an effective platform for private sector development and for the implementation of medium and large-scale projects in Qatar, the Gulf region and beyond.

UDC identifies project opportunities and works through partnerships and joint ventures, securing the know-how to deliver first-rate results. The company also develops wholly owned projects and organizations, notably The Pearl-Qatar, the first international mixed use urban development in Qatar.

Hydrocarbons and energy, infrastructure and utilities, maritime and environmental related businesses, residential and retail real estate development, property management, information technology, hospitality and leisure, fashion, media and communications, payment solutions and marketing services.

UDC has been listed on the Qatar Exchange since June 2003. Its founders held 45% of the shares at launch, and are among the most established and successful businessmen in Qatar. UDC shares are widely held by over 5,000 individual shareholders from Qatar and abroad. A successful Rights Issue was held in mid-2005 . It offered subscribing shareholders one additional share for every two held, at a special price of QR 40 per new share inclusive of QR 30 share premium/share. The objective was to raise QR 1.1 billion in new capital for further investment and expansion. The Rights Issue was successful in reaching its target, and was in fact oversubscribed by over 40 percent.

The Pearl-Qatar is UDC’s largest single project. UDC also has substantial interests in marine and reclamation works, utilities, service and petrochemical companies.

The Pearl-Qatar is a multi-billion dollar mixed use urban development project wholly owned by UDC that provides upscale housing for more than 41,000 people on a meticulously designed, award winning 4 million square meter reclaimed island just north of West Bay in Doha, Qatar.

UDC entered the land reclamation business in June 2004, working with strong international partners as the principle shareholder in a company now known as Middle East Dredging Company (MEDCO). MEDCO has secured major contracts in Qatar, Bahrain, Iran, and the U.A.E.

UDC has also established Ronautica Middle East, a 100% owned subsidiary providing marinas and associated infrastructure for the growing leisure boating industry across the region.

Qatar District Cooling Company (Qatar Cool) was established in January 2004, with UDC as majority shareholder. Qatar Cool is already highly successful, with major contracts in Doha and on The Pearl-Qatar that reduces both client and national energy costs and carbon foot prints. Qatar Cool has been the recipient of prestigious environmental awards.

UDC has important minority holdings in two Qatar petrochemical ventures: one to produce feedstock for detergents; the other to produce formaldehyde concentrates. Both products are marketed locally and internationally.

UDC has used synergies arising from its activities on The Pearl-Qatar as well as  other interests to develop a wide range of service companies. These include enterprises in hospitality management, fashion, facilities management, property management, communications and media, and IT.

UDC has recently established several new partnerships that complement and add value to our existing portfolio of subsidiaries.  These new companies include:

SCOOP, a media and communications company, is a wholly owned subsidiary of UDC. Among its core missions, the company is set to secure major marketing and advertising campaigns as well as manage outdoor advertising spaces. Through its innovative approach, SCOOP will leave a significant mark on the MENA region and on the industry as a whole.

With The Pearl Management and Operations, UDC is creating an urban facilities management company that will offer to a wider market the experience and knowledge gained in the development of infrastructure and implementing management systems for The Pearl-Qatar.

GEKKO is a joint venture company established earlier this year between UDC and The Commercial Bank of Qatar. GEKKO’s primary objective is to design and implement financial and non-financial ‘smart’ solutions and to be at the forefront of high-tech payment systems, providing new levels of increased convenience to both businesses and individuals. In addition to its focus on the Qatar and GCC markets, GEKKO will be building a portfolio that will extend globally.

Pragmatech, a new wholly owned subsidiary, was established in the second quarter of 2009 with the focus on creating original technologies that service international market needs.  Pragmatech is one of the first IT companies in the MENA region with a specialized Research and Development team working around-the-clock on finding solutions for very complex issues in the Computer Science field and the ways this science applies and supports other fields.