The oversized 16-meter recreation of the World Cup mascot La’Ebb drew crowds during the opening ceremony, but it is not the only work from an Alicante-based company that guests will enjoy. In addition to the impressive Sanvicenteño focus car puppet, visitors might later encounter hotels or other infrastructures developed by Ecisa, an Alicante construction firm with a growing footprint in the Middle East.
What began as a shift after the burst of the real estate bubble evolved into a strategic move. The Spanish subsidiary and its emirate operation allowed Ecisa to expand beyond Alicante and develop a legacy of more than a dozen major projects, including several towers reaching up to 53 floors that now shape the skyline in Qatar.
This period also saw Ecisa undertake more than 30 towers across the region. The firm, founded by Manuel Peláez, has left a mark on Benidorm as well, shaping almost a third of the city’s tallest structures. The decision to pursue opportunities in the Persian Gulf followed a long chapter of growth and risk, positioning Ecisa as a prominent player in the international market.
It was 2007, a time when the real estate bubble loomed and questions about the future were increasingly common. The leaders at Ecisa chose to seek new markets that would help weather the coming storm, a move not taken lightly. The aim was clear: contribute value and stand apart in a field where European activity was slowing down.
Enrique Peláez, who heads Peláez Consulting, notes that this international push highlighted Ecisa’s strengths in skyscraper construction. Peláez’s team collaborated with Ecisa’s founder’s son to realize the expansion, a venture later supported by Grupo Urbas after the founding family reduced its stake. His brother Javier Peláez also played a key role in the leadership.
Options
Peláez explored markets across Morocco, Algeria, Libya, and Dubai to evaluate construction prospects. While Algeria presented barriers due to the heavy public sector and operational complexity, attention soon turned to the Persian Gulf. “Dubai already had a robust presence, while Qatar showed promising openings as the region progressed,” the businessman recalls.
At that time it was not yet certain whether Qatar would host the World Cup; the designation came in 2010, but the master plan already outlined the country’s development priorities toward 2030. Khaled Almarzuki, a local partner with close ties to the royal circle, helped Ecisa understand the country and establish early contacts, a basic requirement for operating there. Although Ecisa’s core strength is skyscrapers, their first project in Qatar involved a different arena: the construction of a new Kingdom Military Academy and its accompanying sports facilities for around 41 million euros.
That seemingly divergent start proved advantageous. The Special Engineering Office, the emir’s private office, oversaw the project, and Ecisa’s redesign of the air conditioning system addressed challenges posed by the enclosure’s size. The emir’s office expressed satisfaction to the point of waiving penalties for delays, underscoring a mutually beneficial collaboration.
Ecisa then attracted another major client, the Qatar Foundation, a government-backed nonprofit charged with diversifying the economy from oil to knowledge. Two large data centers were built for roughly 100 million euros. Peláez notes that securing two highly respected clients in the country provided a strong foundation for subsequent private-sector contracts and tall-building commissions.
Subsequent projects included the first tall-building venture, the Bin Samikh Tower, a 45-story complex intended to host a hotel managed by Melia. Other landmark commissions followed, including the Waldorf Astoria (also known as the Buzwair Tower), designed with art deco influences reminiscent of the original Waldorf Astoria in New York. This construction surpassed 120 million euros in budget.
Ecisa’s portfolio expanded to include the JW Marriott complex, the 53-story tower that features a prominent outdoor pool, and a 120,000 square meter development footprint. The Mercure hotel project, at 22 stories, demonstrated a more modest yet equally significant presence. In addition, residential developments such as Bilal Square and several Pearl towers on an artificial island near Doha formed part of Ecisa’s growing eastern portfolio.
Partner changes
In 2014, Ecisa pivoted its local leadership. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir’s brother, assumed leadership of the Qatar subsidiary and joined the Spanish parent company’s board with a 25 percent stake. By 2017, Ecisa separated the Qatar operation from its parent company, aligning with the Al Thani fund. Total work completed by Ecisa in this phase approached 700 million euros, a figure Peláez presents as evidence of resilience and growth rather than mere numbers. The final chapter saw the founding family exit, with Al Alfia selling to Grupo Urbas for a stake in 2021.
Listed Urbas buys 100% of Ecisa and grants Al Alfia shares
At this stage Ecisa employed over 1,500 people in Qatar, including about 30 Spaniards who relocated from Alicante to transfer knowledge and expertise. The main challenge was not technical but bureaucratic, with regulatory processes slowing progress. Despite criticism of the World Cup regime regarding women’s rights and LGBTQ issues, former team members remember their time in the country fondly, recognizing cultural differences as a universal hurdle in the region and taking pride in the legacy they left behind.
Marble remains a major export from Alicante to Qatar. Beyond the World Cup celebrations, the marble trade is a cornerstone of the province’s relationship with the country. Roughly 4.8 million euros of Alicante’s 11.1 million euros in shipments to Qatar came from processed natural stone, a product highly valued in the Gulf. The region imports most of its marble from Turkey, Egypt, and Spain, with Spanish ivory-cream tones and browns in high demand. These marbles underpin public architecture and luxury interiors alike.
In addition to marble, Alicante exports include shoes, toys, and furniture, totaling around 2 million euros, with citrus and pomegranate fruit making up about 650 thousand euros. On the import side, plastic polymers represent the most substantial volume, though the figure remains under one million euros, according to trade data. This is the story of a European contractor’s expansion into Qatar and its enduring impact on both sides of the Mediterranean.