| Issue 3

The growth of Qatar Investment Authority ( QIA ) reflects our nation ’ s traditions of far-sighted leadership , prudent stewardship of resources , and a willingness to seize opportunities for growth when they present themselves to benefit the people of Qatar .

Today , QIA ’ s subsidiaries include a number of Qatari enterprises that have emerged as true global players in the banking ( QNB ), aviation ( Qatar Airways ), communication ( Ooredoo ), real estate ( Diar ), and hospitality ( Katara Hospitality ) sectors . Many of these are profiled in this very magazine .

Foundation ( 2000-2008 )

QIA ’ s origins trace back to 2000 , when the Supreme Council for the Investment of State Reserves was established with the objective of investing Qatar ’ s surplus revenues . As Qatar continued to see increasing returns from its oil and gas industries , Qatar ’ s leaders recognised that the revenues generated presented a once-in-ageneration opportunity to create an endowment for the future .

This led to the formal establishment of QIA in 2005 . Its mission is to develop , invest and manage the State Reserve funds and other property assigned to it by the Supreme Council for Economic Affairs and Investment ( SCEAI ). QIA started its investment operations in 2006 with a structured asset allocation for asset classes and geographies , and largely relying on external parties to manage the investments .

Growth ( 2009-2014 )

Against the backdrop of the global financial crisis in 2009 , the QIA Board decided to move to a direct investment approach with a focus on individual asset selection . QIA ’ s investment approach shifted to focus on pursuing strategic opportunities in high-quality European equities and real estate assets with significant upside potential .

The move towards a more dynamic investment strategy was supported by the development of strong internal capabilities . QIA brought in and trained a new generation of investment professionals and reduced its reliance upon external parties .

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