1

PROMOTION // QATAR
L
ast year was one of great historic
signifcance for Qatar. For the
frst time, Qatar surpassed Lux-
embourg to become the country
with the highest per-capita GDP in the
world. In September, the IMF estimated
that Qatars 2011 full-year GDP would
be 18.7%. In addition, Euromoney
described Qatar as the safest invest-
ment destination in the Middle East and
North Africa (MENA) region.
While oil and gas exports underpin
much of this development, the countrys
leaders have made great strides toward
allocating its hydrocarbon earnings to
effective programs and projects that will
help Qatar achieve its long-term eco-
nomic development and diversifcation
goals. They have done this by creating
sophisticated and results-driven institu-
tions that support a sustainable, knowl-
edge-based economy. Some of the
most important institutions involved in
helping to prepare Qataris for the future
are headed or guided by Her Highness
Sheikha Moza bint Nasser.
These include Qatar Foundation
for Education, Science and Commu-
nity Development; and Education City.
Together, they are creating a contin-
uum of human capital and knowledge
formation that begins with early edu-
cation and goes on to cutting-edge
graduate research and next-generation
technology commercialization through
the Qatar Science & Technology Park.
Further driving this focus is the Qatar
National Research Fund, which offers
a range of research grants and fellow-
ships, and the state-of-the-art Sidra
Medical and Research Center (opening
in 2013), whose research will focus on
the health issues of women and chil-
dren. Our ambition is for new products,
processes and technologies to meta-
phorically, if not literally, bear the label
invented in Qatar, Sheikha Moza said
in The Report: Qatar 2011, by Oxford
Business Group.
These efforts are funded by the Qatar
governments commitment to spend
2.8% of annual GDP on research in
EXPLORING QATARS POTENTIAL
felds such as medicine, computing and
energy, supporting efforts to unlock
human potentialthe goal of Qatar
Foundationand to develop the human
capacity of Qatars people and the peo-
ple of the region.
This is done in a balanced manner:
The Qatar way is to fnd the best the
world has to offer and to bring it to our
region, while fnding the best our region
has to offer and taking it to the world,
Sheikha Moza commented in a recent
interview with Qultura magazine.
These efforts require the development
of Qatars human capital and its physical
infrastructure, through programs such
as the nonproft Silatech, which is led
by Sheikha Moza and prepares young
people from Qatar and the MENA region
for 21st-century jobs; and projects such
as the state-of-the-art Qatar National
Convention Centre; Barwa Al Sadd and
Barwa City; world-class communica-
tions, local and long-distance trans-
portation, logistics and tourism infra-
structure; Mathaf, the Arab Museum of
Modern Art; and many others.
More broadly, the country has
launched the Qatar National Develop-
ment Strategy 20112016, developed
by the General Secretariat for Develop-
ment Planning. This plan lays out the
framework for Qatars growth, as the
nation moves to diversify its economy
beyond the oil and gas sector. It also
aspires to create a prosperous lifestyle
for all Qataris, in part by further enhanc-
ing the education system and improving
the quality of and access to healthcare.
As Sheikha Moza noted in The Report,
Healthy, educated and engaged citi-
zens are vital to ensure a prosperous
future for Qatar.
This national vision is at the same time
global. Sheikha Moza put it this way in
The Report: We have long recognized
the need to secure our future in a post-
carbon world, and we have decided to
do this by becoming a knowledge econ-
omya cradle of innovation based in
the Middle East, but global in terms of
its scope and impact.
Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser
2 Dr. Mohamed Fathy Saoud, President of
Qatar Foundation and Chairman of Sidra
Executive Committee
4 Dr. Amir Al Saadi,Qatar Foundation
Research Advisor and QNRF
Project Supervisor
5 Dr. Saleh Mohammad Al Nabit, Secretary
General of the General Secretariat for
Development Planning
6 His Excellency Sheikh Nawaf bin Jassim
bin Jabor Al-Thani, Chairman of Qatar
National Hotels Company
7 His Excellency Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim
Al Thani, Chairman of Aamal Company
Q.S.C.
9 Eng. Mohammed Bin Ali Al Hedfa, Group
&KLHI([HFXWLYH2IFHURI4DWDUL'LDU
10 Mr. Abdulla Abdulaziz Al Subaie, Board
0HPEHUDQG*URXS&KLHI([HFXWLYH2IFHU
of Barwa Group
12 Mr. Abdulla Abdulaziz Al Subaie,
Managing Director of Qatar Railways
Company
13 0r. Nasser Harah, Chief Executive
2IFHURI4WHO*URXS
This project was produced by Intermedia, Dubai.
Project Directors: VivienneDavidson and Amy Boeker
www.forbescustom.com/qatar2012
INDEX
2
PROMOTION // QATAR
Speaking of the health strategy, Sheikha
Moza recently said, We are not just try-
ing to create a world-class healthcare
system for Qataris. We would also like
to establish Qatar as a healthcare des-
tination for the entire region. Sidra has
similarly global ambitions to foster medi-
cal breakthroughs and new treatments.
It seeks to achieve this by working
alongside Hamad Medical Corporation,
the countrys largest healthcare pro-
vider, and Weill Cornell Medical College
in Qatar. Sidra will be the primary teach-
ing facility for Weill Cornell, establishing
the facility as the frst academic medical
center in the Middle East.
Dr. Mohamed Fathy Saoud, who is
Chairman of Sidras Executive Commit-
tee, Vice Chairman of its Board of Gov-
ernors and President of Qatar Founda-
tion, explains why Qatar is making such
a signifcant commitment to Sidra: The
development we are spearheading at
Qatar Foundation is taking place across
the entire education-research con-
tinuum. Sidra is an obvious testimony
of our continuing investment in human
capital development to beneft not only
Qatar, but also the world. Sidra shall
become a key player in the future health-
care landscape globally through its align-
ment of world-class patient care, medi-
cal education and biomedical research,
and its affliation with a prestigious medi-
cal school of an Ivy League University in
North America.
Q
atars world-leading investment
in education and research will
soon have a major new exam-
ple in the US$2.3 billion, state-
of-the-art Sidra Medical and Research
Center when it opens in Doha, the capi-
tal of this Gulf state. With three essential
missions in medical education, patient
care and biomedical research, Sidra
embodies the core focus areas and prin-
ciples of Qatar Foundation for Education,
Science and Community Development,
to which it belongs.
Opening in 2013, this interna-
tional center of excellence will offer
research labs, teaching facilities and
550 inpatient beds. It will provide an
exceptional patient experience and
unparalleled professional opportunities to
over 5,000 healthcare professionalsto
include physicians, nurses, allied health,
research and other support staff from
around the globe.
Sidra will be a healthcare institution
with approximately one nurse for every
1.7 patients, compared to the more com-
mon ratio of one nurse to seven patients
or more. Equipment and technology will
be state of the art, and the absence of
legacy processes and procedures means
clinicians and researchers will be able to
develop best practices from the beginning
and revise their procedures with ease.
Sidra benefts from a US$7.9 billion
endowment, the largest of any medical
center in the world and an amount that
guarantees optimal funding for research.
In fact, Sidra represents the largest single
project undertaken by Qatar Founda-
tion. The foundation, led by Her High-
ness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, pursues
its mission to develop human capital in
Qatar and the Middle East through doz-
ens of projects, nonproft organizations
and companies operating primarily in
Qatar, but also in other locations around
the world.
National Health Strategy
Sidra will play a leading role in helping
Qatar realize its National Health Strategy, a
reform program launched in 2011 to create
a world-class, patient-centered healthcare
system in this country of nearly 2 million
people. By operating to the same stan-
dards as the worlds top medical centers,
Sidra will establish a benchmark for Qatar
and the world and serve as a role model for
other healthcare providers in the country.
Sidra building faade
SIDRA MEDICAL AND
RESEARCH CENTER
Clinical Excellence and Cutting-Edge Scientic Discovery
Dr. Mohamed Fathy Saoud, President of Qatar
Foundation and Chairman of Sidra
Executive Committee
Sidra is an obvious testimony of
our continuing investment in human
capital development to beneft not
only Qatar, but also the world.
Dr. Mohamed Fathy Saoud
3
PROMOTION // QATAR
Sidra lobby
www.sidra.org
A waiting area for women and children
Virtually Paperless Hospital
Wireless, flmless and virtually paperless,
Sidra will be an all-digital facility, incorpo-
rating the most advanced IT applications
in all clinical, research and business areas.
Every aspect of clinical treatment will be
informed by the digital infrastructure and
will support the overriding goal of deliver-
ing exceptional patient care. Patients will
have greater access to care and informa-
tion, while the consolidation of patient
information will improve their safety
through automated systems that identify
potential problems before they occur.
Patients, staff and equipment will be
tracked in real time, thereby helping to
reduce the variability in patient care that
is common in conventional systems,
as well as the waste and duplication in
treatment that can put patients at risk.
For doctors and clinicians, the technol-
ogy will enable immediate decision sup-
port and permit a streamlined process
for consulting clinical best practices.
Pioneering Research
Sidras research focus will be on medi-
cal conditions and issues of particular
relevance to Qatar and the Arab world,
including diabetes, cancer, epidemi-
ology and fetal-maternal health. In these
areas, Sidra will engage with the worlds
top medical and research institutions in
collaborative investigations and knowl-
edge exchanges, exposing its profession-
als to the latest thinking and practices.
Meanwhile, its state-of-the-art technol-
ogy and infrastructure will speed the
practical application of its research.
Sidras research on womens and chil-
drens issues will focus on development
and preventive medicine; pregnancy, health
and fertility; and womens health. Just some
of the specifc areas in these felds include
neonatal medicine, pediatric prevention,
inborn errors of metabolism, the high
infant mortality rate in Qatar, early-term
miscarriage, neural tube defects, ges-
tational diabetes, gynecological cancers
and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
Sidra will have a state-of-the-art
imaging and analysis system and high-
quality, spacious laboratories. A sampling
of these include a chemistry lab for the
manufacture and analysis of novel chem-
ical entities; a fully equipped fow cytom-
etry facility that will offer a cell-sorting
service, training and consultation; and a
drug analysis lab to assist with basic
research and clinical trials. Researchers
also will be supported by administrative
services such as grant provision, con-
tracts, ethics approval and a technology
licensing service.
A Global Benchmark for Healing
Environments
Designed by world-renowned architect
Csar Pelli, Sidra is contained within a
modern steel, glass and white ceramic
structure that will be an international
benchmark for healing environments.
Three towering glass atriums will divide
the main structure into four sections,
with the atriums serving as healing gar-
dens that patients can see from their
windows and, in cooler months, visit for
fresh air.
Our aim is to deliver the highest-
quality academic medicine by creating
an institution that lives and breathes
excellence and innovation. To achieve
this, work will begin now to recruit the
worlds best clinicians, researchers,
allied health and support staff, says Dr.
Ghalia bint Mohammad Al Thani, a mem-
ber of the Sidra Board of Governors and
a member of the Qatar Supreme Council
of Health.
Sidra is located within the 2,500-acre
Education City within Qatar Founda-
tions sprawling 6,200-acre campus in
suburban Doha. It is home to nine uni-
versities, including the Qatar campuses
of six U.S. universitiesWeill Cornell
Medical College, Texas A&M Univer-
sity, Georgetown University School of
Foreign Service, Virginia Commonwealth
University, Carnegie Mellon University
and Northwestern Universityas well as
two universities from Europe: HEC Paris
and University College London.
For the more than 5,000 healthcare
professionals that will soon be part of
creating Sidras legacy, and for the thou-
sands of patients from Qatar and beyond
that it will serve, Sidra represents the
best of what healthcare can provide and
the promise of a bright future.
4
PROMOTION // QATAR
www.qnrf.org
social needs and diversify the economy,
Al Saadi says.
Arab Science Renaissance
QNRF also works with the Qatar
Science & Technology Park (QSTP),
home to technology-based companies
from around the world and an incubator
for start-up technology enterprises. The
titles of each years NPRP-funded pro-
jects are given to QSTP as leads for pos-
sible commercialization opportunities.
Although the majority of the NPRP-
funded research projects are still works
in progress, its researchers have pub-
lished an increasing number of scholarly
papers (600 so far) at international con-
ferences and in peer-reviewed journals.
Even the undergraduate program has
resulted in the publication of many arti-
cles in peer-reviewed journals, Al Saadi
notes. Ultimately, QNRF is helping to
push the boundaries of human knowl-
edge to beneft Qatar, the Middle East
and the world.
QATAR NATIONAL
RESEARCH FUND
Building a Vibrant Research Community in Qatar
And Opening it to the World
W
hen the Qatar National
Research Fund (QNRF)
began operations in 2006,
there was virtually no scien-
tifc research taking place in this Arabian
Gulf nation of 1.7 million people. Today,
thanks in part to the fund, the country
now has more than 60 approved and
registered research offces engaged in
hundreds of projects across all felds
of science in the countrys universities,
hospitals, corporations and specialized
research centers.
In this way, QNRF, a member of Qatar
Foundation, is supporting the Qatar
National Vision 2030, says Dr. Amir
Al Saadi, Qatar Foundation Research
Advisor and QNRF Project Supervisor:
Qatar Foundation envisions research
as a catalyst for change, for expand-
ing and diversifying the countrys
economy, as well as enhancing the
education of its citizens and the training
of its workforce.
Many of QNRFs projectssome 411
since 2007, in factare done in partner-
ship with international research insti-
tutions. In all, QNRF has awarded more
than US$360 million to nearly a thousand
research projects, including US$121 mil-
lion to 145 projects in 2011 alone as part
of its fagship four-year-old National Pri-
orities Research Program (NPRP). Every
NPRP award is competitively selected,
based on assessments by third-party
peer reviewers located outside Qatar.
This group determines whether a project
should be funded, and it rejects three-
quarters of all applicants every year.
Research at All Academic Levels
QNRF operates four main research
programs. The frst is the NPRP, which
gives grants of up to US$350,000 per
year for projects of up to three years in
duration. Each proposal submitted by
an international collaborating institu-
tion must have a Qatar-based institu-
tion. QNRF helps promote international
collaboration by providing an online
bulletin board on which international
researchers can post their areas of
research interest in order to pair with a
Qatar-based partner.
The second is a program to fund
undergraduate research at Qatar-based
institutions. Participating students and
professors come from Qatar University
and the branch campuses of eight lead-
ing U.S., U.K. and European universities
located at Qatar Foundations Educa-
tion City and other local and interna-
tional academic institutions in Qatar.
Through the third program, which takes
place at the high school level, QNRF
runs a research competition to enco-
urage a culture of scientifc investiga-
tion among secondary school students.
The fourth program funds research
by young Qatar-based scientists who
already have their Ph.D. but want to pur-
sue further research.
By offering a range of programs, QNRF
is creating a research continuum with
a pipeline of researchers at all levels
and disciplines to address the countrys
Dr. Amir Al Saadi, Qatar Foundation Research
Advisor and QNRF Project Supervisor
With the farsighted vision and
commitment to research funding by
the countrys leaders and National
Development planners, scientifc
research in Qatar is promising to
be the harbinger of an Arab science
renaissance.
Dr. Amir Al Saadi
5
PROMOTION // QATAR
www.gsdp.gov.qa
process and provides advice and exper-
tise to the various government agen-
cies and entities responsible for helping
attain Qatars goals.
The secretariat is addressing tough
issues such as determining the size and
quality of the foreign labor force, with an
eye to preserving national identity and
societys security, while also meeting the
demands of development and the sep-
arate matter of putting into place effcient
and modern government institutions that
will be able to carry out the countrys
transformation by ensuring able and
committed human resources that are well
trained and fairly compensated.
Qatars National Development Strategy
was created with extensive input from
government institutions, the private sec-
tor, civil society, and local and interna-
tional experts, Dr. Al Nabit says, and was
built using detailed situational analysis,
diagnostics and benchmarking of regional
and international best practices.
Ultimately, Qatar is committed to build-
ing a business-friendly environment, but
one that recognizes that environmental,
societal and cultural aspects must be
directly factored into the choices that
Qatar makes, he adds.
This in itself is no easy task, but the
country adds an international dimension
to the challenge: Qatar is increasingly
playing a role in the global partnership
for development, emphasizing sustain-
ability, human rights, peace and secu-
rity, Dr. Al Nabit concludes.
THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT
FOR DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
Guiding Qatars Transformation with Efciency,
Fairness and Transparency
T
he State of Qatar ranks third
globally in both natural gas
exports and proven natural gas
reserves, according to the CIA
World Factbook. Qatar has success-
fully built a state-of-the-art hydrocarbon
industry from scratch and has surprised
pundits by winning the much-coveted
right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
So when Qatar sets an ambitious
agenda to comprehensively transform
itself into a modern nation with a long-
term sustainable development plan
called the Qatar National Vision 2030
there is no doubt that the country will
achieve this.
Whats most striking about how this
Arabian Gulf nation is pursuing these
goals is the transparent, clear-eyed and
rigorous character of both the vision and
the lead institution tasked with realizing it.
According to Dr. Saleh Mohammad Al
Nabit, Secretary General of the General
Secretariat for Development Planning
(GSDP), Qatar recognizes that to achieve
its ambitious goals, it must, among other
things, continue to modernize its govern-
ment processes. Effciency, transparency,
value for money, service improvement,
technology use, policy formulation, and
regulatory, fnancial and budgetary reform
are all identifed as priorities.
What this means for the international
community, he adds, is that in an environ-
ment of clear goals, workable government
mechanisms, fair rules and regulations,
and effcient government employees,
international stakeholders can feel that
their investments are secure.
Qatar National Vision 2030
Qatars goals and approach are both
defned by the Qatar National Vision
(QNV), which was launched in 2008.
Dr. Al Nabit says the QNV was born of
the governments realization that Qatars
vast hydrocarbon resources must be
utilized to sustain development and
effect a comprehensive transformation
into a millennium era without distorting
its heritage of values and social fabric.
The QNV sets out the main economic,
social, human and environmental devel-
opment goals, and refects the aspira-
tions of the countrys leadership and the
ambitions of its people, he explains.
The GSDP, in turn, was formed to
guide the implementation of the national
vision, says Dr. Al Nabit, describing his
organization as akin to a development
agency for the state. The secretariat
led the development of the countrys
frst National Development Strategy
(201116) and, in an ongoing role, identi-
fes the choices that the state faces,
brings knowledge to the decision-making
Dr. Saleh Mohammad Al Nabit, Secretary
General of the GSDP
HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani launching
the Qatar National Development Strategy 20112016
6
PROMOTION // QATAR
www.qnhc.com
QATAR NATIONAL HOTELS COMPANY
Developing Landmark Properties Around the World
Q
atar National Hotels Companys
(QNH) fagship properties are
true international gems: the
historic 1928 Le Royal Mon-
ceau hotel, a Paris icon; the fagship
Raffes Hotel Singapore, which opened
its doors in 1887; and the upcoming
Tazi Palace in Tangier, a former palace
that will be transformed into a high-end
fve-star luxury hotel, designed to set
new standards in a region known for
its hospitality.
All three properties were acquired in
the past six months and refect QNHs
strategy to build a portfolio of proper-
ties that combine history and cultural
heritage with high-end luxury, while
continuously investing in upgrading its
facilities. Le Royal MonceauRaffes
Paris recently underwent a two-year
renovation under the direction of famous
French designer Philippe Starck; a reno-
vation project of Raffes Hotel Singapore
will commence later this year; and the
conversion of Tazi Palace will be com-
pleted in the frst quarter of 2015.
QNH is strategically interested in
investing in iconic properties around the
world that bring an undisputable legacy
to the hospitality feld, restoring them
to their former glory and establishing
a strong partnership for a bright future
together, says His Excellency Sheikh
Nawaf bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani,
the companys Chairman. The company
is exploring further investments in such
diverse locations as Italy, Egypt, Spain,
Cuba, the Seychelles and Eritrea.
We invest in the best international
hotels, often adding that extra-special
touch that makes them even more desir-
able and memorable, Sheikh Nawaf
explains. This special touch also gives
QNH properties an edge in the emerg-
ing niche market that he describes as
sophisticated luxury.
Wholly owned by the government
of Qatar through Qatar Holding, QNH
has 25 properties in operation or under
development in eight countries, inclu-
ding 13 properties in Qatar, three each
in Switzerland and Paris, and one
each in Milan, Tangier, Sharm El Sheikh,
the Comoros Islands and Singapore.
Sheikh Nawaf says the company aims to
have 30 hotels in its portfolio by 2016,
funding this growth entirely through the
companys own resources and those of
its joint-venture partners.
At home, QNH has eight proper-
ties in operation, managed by leading
hotel brands such as The Ritz-Carlton,
Marriott, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts,
Mvenpick Hotels & Resorts and QNHs
hotel brand, Merweb. Three more are
scheduled to open this year and another
two in coming years. With an industry
experience dating back to the pioneering
His Excellency Sheikh Nawaf bin Jassim bin
Jabor Al-Thani, Chairman of Qatar National
Hotels Company
Lusail Marina District Iconic Development
days of hospitality in Qatar, QNH is look-
ing to the future, building new landmarks
of Arab hospitality, with properties like
its iconic waterfront mixed-use develop-
ment in the Lusail Marina district of Doha.
All of its operations support the coun-
trys development goals, Sheikh Nawaf
says. Qatar is one of the fastest-
growing countries in the world. The hos-
pitality industry is implicitly on the ascend-
ing slope, as it is part of the infrastructure
vitally needed to support this develop-
ment. He notes that Doha was named
the Worlds Leading Business Travel
Destination at the World Travel Awards
2011. QNH also is helping build the coun-
trys human capital through scholarship
programs and the hiring, development
and promotion of Qatari nationals.
Both at home and abroad, QNH is buil-
ding a portfolio of hotels that, as Sheikh
Nawaf puts it, will be known for their
impeccable reputation, unique architec-
ture and amenities, and bright future.
Set for strategic expansion,
QNHs goal is not only to maintain
its position as the leading hotel
owner in the State of Qatar, but to
afrm itself as a reputable asset
management company of luxurious
hotels on the global stage.
H.E. Sheikh Nawaf bin Jassim bin
Jabor Al-Thani
7
PROMOTION // QATAR
www.aamal.com.qa
M
uch has been written about the
enormous growth and economic
transformation happening in
Qatar, and there is perhaps no
company better positioned to serve as the
new corporate face of this change than
Aamal Company, one of Qatars largest
diversifed publicly listed frms.
Aamal operates 23 business units,
many of which hold market-leading posi-
tions in diverse felds such as industrial
manufacturing, retail, property, managed
services, medical equipment and phar-
maceuticals. In fact, fast-growing may
be an understatement: Aamals revenue
for the frst three quarters of 2011
US$358.5 millionwas 7% higher than
its revenue for all of 2010.
Aamal is a prime example of how the
Qatari economy is changing. We are
a quoted company with international
standards of disclosure and investor
relations. We are ambitious, competi-
tive and the preferred partner in Qatar
for both local and international com-
panies, says Aamal Chairman Sheikh
Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani.
Currently, Aamal is focused on the
opportunities being generated by mas-
sive infrastructure projects in Qatar,
which underpin Qatars growth expec-
tations in line with the National Vision
2030. The government is planning
to spend at least US$225 billion on
national infrastructure over the next fve
years, Sheikh Faisal notes.
To meet this demand, while pursuing
its goal to be the frst and best in each
new sector, Aamal is expanding its indus-
trial manufacturing operations. Exam-
ples include Doha Cables, which makes
a wide variety of power cables, is con-
sidered the frst cable manufacturing
facility in Qatar; and Aamal Readymix,
whose latest concrete batching plant is
also one of the Middle Easts largest.
A Proxy for Qatars Growth
Aamals footprint is broad, and for this
reason, Sheikh Faisal explains, his com-
pany serves as a proxy for the expected
long-term growth of Qatars economy. In
trading and distribution, Aamal is a major
player in medical equipment and pharma-
ceuticals, and it is a major distributor of
Bridgestone and TOTAL products. It also
plays a role in numerous real estate proj-
ects, including City Center Doha, Qatars
largest shopping mall.
The companys ambitions are similarly
far-reaching: We intend to become a sig-
nifcant force in the regional, not just the
Qatari, economy, especially in industrial
manufacturing, says Sheikh Faisal.
A Successful Track Record
Aamal has a demonstrable track record
in proactively taking advantage of oppor-
tunities. In 2011, the company forged
a joint venture with Johnson Controls to
form a new energy-solutions and building-
AAMAL
A Paragon for Qatars Dynamic and Evolving Economy
His Excellency Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim
Al Thani, Chairman of Aamal Company Q.S.C.
effciency company. It also launched
Aamal Readymixs largest batching plant,
and it secured a two-year, US$494 million
contract to provide low- and medium-
voltage power cables to the Qatar Gen-
eral Electricity & Water Corporation.
This year, it plans to complete the frst
redevelopment phase at City Center
Doha; begin commercial production at
its Advanced Pipes and Casts Com-
pany, which will be the frst company
in the country to make reinforced con-
crete pipes and glass-reinforced plastic
pipes; and continue to develop Doha
Transformers, primarily a manufacturer
of oil-flled and dry transformers.
Building Globally Competitive
Industries
According to Sheikh Faisal, Aamals
growth potential is supported by gov-
ernment policies to channel the profts
from sales of hydrocarbons into invest-
ment, diversifcation and modernization
of the economy, and to develop the
countrys human capital.
Clearly, for Aamal and other Qatari
companies, Qatars massive infrastruc-
ture projects are not just about near-term
business opportunities.
These projects will add permanently
to Qatars productive capacity by
expanding its infrastructure base and
encouraging companies to build up
competitive industries.
H.E. Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani
City Center Doha - Qatars iconic shopping mall
9
PROMOTION // QATAR
D
emographics today are evolving
fast. The global population is get-
ting larger and more urban. Mega
sprawls are turning into super-
cities. By 2050, the U.S. Census Bureau
estimates that the global population will
be 9.2 billion. In that same year, accord-
ing to projections by the United Nations
Population Division, over 80% of the pop-
ulation in emerging markets will be part of
the urban fabric. In the future, megacities
and mega corridors are expected to be
the main drivers of national economies.
This intense concentration of people
over select territories brings the great-
est challenges as well as opportunities
for a global real estate industry that is
still picking up the pieces from the 2008
housing crisis.
In a signifcantly transformed land-
scape, adaptation and innovation by
real estate developers and stakeholders
are the keys to a winning formula.
What Qatari Diar Is Doing, Six
Years On
Since its inception more than six
years ago, Qatari Diar Real Estate Com-
pany has committed itself to a new
charter for practicing business, one
that allows the most important part of
communitiestheir peopleto thrive.
The result: The company has been four-
ishing since 2005.
Capitalized at US$4 billion and fully
owned by the State of Qatars Investment
Authority, Qatari Diar has the investment
resources to be truly innovative and
forward thinking. Qatari Diar is founded
on the worlds best practices in project
management and project execution.
Qatari Diar has successfully captivated
hearts and minds in an industry riven by
strife and uncertainty in countries around
the world, creating many small- and
large-scale real estate success stories
along the way. All of the companys plans
are a celebration, not just of excellent
design, but also of its model of harmony
and balance. So less than a decade after
it began, Qatari Diar is proudly developing
or planning 49 projects in 29 countries
around the world, with a combined value
of over US$35 billion.
From redefning the architectural lan-
guage of the landmark Centre Inter-
national de Confrences in the heart of
Paris to reinstating the reputation of the
historic Shell Centre in London, Qatari
Diar is bringing a sense of modernity
with a touch of traditionalism to the
global property market.
Qatari Diars inspiration to convert
barren lands into extravagant locations,
mountain cliffs into stunning dwellings,
seashores into privileged addresses and
historic buildings into beacons of moder-
nity stems from Qatars unique vision,
guided by the countrys astute leader-
ship, of converting natural capital into
human capital for future wealth creation.
QATARI DIAR
The Big Picture
Eng. Mohammed Bin Ali Al Hedfa, Group Chief
Executive Ofcer of Qatari Diar
As a representative of a country surg-
ing ahead in its quest to be a
knowledge-based society, Qatari Diar is
also translating Qatars ideas for a beau-
tifully built environment, new sustain-
able communities and developments that
catch the imagination of a world audience
and spur social and economic progress.
The Way Forward
In the process of promoting a better
quality of life worldwide, Qatari Diar has
learned that for communities to thrive,
developments need to be in sync with
the demands of the end users. The com-
panys projects worldwide aim to estab-
lish communal harmony while uplifting
surrounding areas.
Qatari Diars developments uphold
the ideals of sustainability and are
built on the integration of environmen-
tal, economic and social goals for the
host country. Every day, its staff advo-
cates new approaches to regulations,
rating systems, design, building and
the implementation of cutting-edge
solutions. Seizing the opportunities in
urban design and real estate develop-
ments wherever possible has made
Qatari Diar a new standard-bearer in
the industry.
Ultimately, the art of real estate is not
building brick mansions or beveled-
limestone row houses. The art of real
estate is creating homes and communi-
ties that provide for the holistic needs of
individuals and their families.
Lusail City Marina, Qatar
www.qataridiar.com
10
PROMOTION // QATAR
All of these domestic projects support
the countrys development since, as Al
Subaie puts it, Barwa has not only taken
on some of the countrys most ambitious
projects, but further undertaken their
development according to internationally
award-winning standards.
2012: A Year for Delivery in Doha
This year will see Barwa deliver on at least
three projects in Qatar. Barwa Commer-
cial Avenue is expected to be completed
by the second quarter of the year. Barwa
Commercial Avenues Sayer, the frst of
fve distinct zones to be launched, has
already seen large parts of its available
retail space leased out in the last quarter
of 2011. Among other innovations, Barwa
will bring a new retail concept to the Qatari
market with Dragon Mart, a market featur-
ing Chinese manufactured goods such as
electronics, building materials and other
household items.
Barwa Al Sadd, with its mixed com-
mercial and residential design covering
27,654 square meters and a fve-star
hotel, will be ready by summer. All 261
housing units and two of three offce
towers have been fully leased, with the
third offce tower to serve as Barwas
headquarters. The third project that will
J
ust six years ago, Qatar-based
Barwa Group launched as a real
estate-focused company. Today it
is a diversifed conglomerate oper-
ating in real estate development, infra-
structure, and business and fnancial
services across 13 countries, includ-
ing Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, France
and Russia.
This geographic and sector diversi-
fcation refects a commitment both to
supporting Qatars National Develop-
ment Strategy and to delivering solid
returns to shareholders. In fact, while
Barwas fagship project is in Qatars
capital city, Doha, its largest investment
is in Egypt, where the Barwa New Cairo
development will have a gross built-up
area of 8.5 million square meters and
has the distinction of being one of the
worlds largest sustainably designed
real estate developments.
We aspire to be one of the most suc-
cessful real estate development and
investment companies in the world, with
a home in Qatar but a business oper-
ating around the globe, says Abdulla
Abdulaziz Al Subaie, Board Member
and Group Chief Executive Offcer.
Some of the Most Ambitious
Projects
Still, Qatar remains a key focus in order
to capitalize on the infrastructure and
growth plans in the country and to help
support the national development strat-
egy. Barwa is pursuing seven major proj-
ects in its home market, including the
US$1.92 billion Barwa Commercial Ave-
nue mixed-use development that runs
along an 8.5-km stretch of road; Barwa
Al Sadd, a mixed-use development with
six offce and residential towers; and
the award-winning fagship US$3 billion
Barwa Financial District, a grade-A devel-
opment designed to meet the needs
of local and international businesses.
Barwa Financial District, which is inspired
by elements of local Qatari culture and
heritage, achieved a signifcant milestone
in December 2011, when Barwa signed
a sales completion agreement with Qatar
Petroleum, which will own and operate
the development when it is fnished.
Other projects in Qatar include Al
Baraya, a commercial development with
a fve-star hotel, shopping mall, restau-
rants, spa and movie theater that rec-
ently won Best Architecture Award in
the mixed-use development category at
the Arabian Property Awards 2011; and
Barwa Al Baraha, a mixed-use industrial-
focused development that, among other
features, will have the largest workers
accommodation in the Gulf.
BARWA GROUP
Enhancing Qatars International Reputation Through
Excellence Across Its Operations
Barwa Al Doha-Baraya
Mr. Abdulla Abdulaziz Al Subaie,
Board Member and Group Chief Executive
Ofcer of Barwa Group
11
PROMOTION // QATAR
be delivered this year is Barwa City,
with phase one set to begin receiving
tenants in the spring. Once fully com-
pleted, Barwa City will have nearly
7,000 affordably priced apartments, with
accompanying international schools,
nurseries, shops, mosques, restaurants
and recreational facilities.
Given Barwas leading role in developing
Dohas real estate landscape, Al Subaie
says the company is well focused on
2022, when Qatar will host the FIFA World
Cup. Barwas many projects will support
the infrastructure needs of the country to
host such mega events as the World Cup
2022, he says, adding that the countrys
selection to host the tournament refects
the commitment, as well as the ability, of
Qatar to achieve recognition for the world-
class standards it has set itself in sports
and many other sectors.
Barwas commitment to national devel-
opment also is being realized through its
work to enhance the skills and exper-
tise of Qatar nationals. Barwas fve-year
business plan focuses on development
of human capital and quality Qatari-
zation of jobs through performance-
based career-enhancement opportuni-
ties, Al Subaie explains. These include
educational scholarships in Qatar and
abroad in felds such as engineering,
banking and fnance, marketing and
property management; in-house training
programs conducted by top business
schools; and initiatives to recognize high-
performing Qatari staff.
Immense Opportunities in Qatar
Al Subaie describes the opportunities in
fast-growing Qatar as immense, and
Barwa is well positioned as a local part-
ner to international companies looking to
participate in this growth story. Barwa
already enjoys the reputation of being a
preferred partner, be it for strategic inves-
tors looking to participate in Qatars excit-
ing development, or global players look-
ing to gain a foothold in other segments
of the real estate value chain, he says.
Other areas in which the company
operates include Barwa Bank, which
launched in 2009 and has grown in part
through acquisitions to operate across
consumer fnance, retail, commercial,
asset management and private client
banking platforms.
Guidance Hotels Investment Company
is one of Barwas initiatives in the Sharia-
compliant hospitality sector, offering a lux-
ury fve-star experience through its Shaza-
branded hotels. Other investments include
London-based Cavendish Capital, a fnan-
cial services company with a focus on pri-
vate equity and advisory services; Kuwait-
based Al Imtiaz Investment Company,
focused on investment opportunities in
the GCC; the Barwa Gazprombank Rus-
sia Real Estate Fund, a Russia-focused
real estate fund that is a joint venture with
Gazprombank; and Turkey-based Otto-
man, a real estate development company
that is a joint venture with some of Turkeys
leading developers.
Barwa also has established three spe-
cialized real estate and infrastructure-
related companies. Qatar Project Man-
agement provides clients across the
MENA region with world-class expertise
in a full range of professional project man-
agement services. Waseef is a real estate
brokerage and asset, facility and prop-
erty management frm; while Tanween
provides real estate investors with a
complete package of services, from con-
cept development to completion, for the
development of destination communities
and landmark projects. Al Subaie says
Barwa Financial District
these three companies will expand their
operations internationally over the next
few years, exporting Qatars know-
how globally.
Selective International
Diversication
Looking to the future, Al Subaie says
that while Barwa currently seeks to cap-
italize on the local Qatari market oppor-
tunities and to successfully execute its
Qatar developments, The investment
strategy considers selective diversifca-
tion internationally to leverage oppor-
tunities in the Middle East, Turkey, the
United Kingdom, North America and
Southeast Asia. This strategy focuses
on building synergistic businesses
that complement and are an appropri-
ate strategic ft to its core business,
he says. They also must demonstrate
that they can deliver strong returns
for shareholders.
Irrespective of where the company is
operating, Al Subaie says excellence
is crucial to everything it does. Barwas
success will be viewed by many as a
litmus test for the overall ambitions
and capacity of the State of Qatar. The
image of the country will be refected in
the quality of the companys projects
and investments, which in turn will help
raise the nations profle.
www.barwa.com.qa
12
PROMOTION // QATAR
W
ithin ten years, Qatar will
see the development of
a high-speed rail line that
will carry passengers from
Doha, the Qatari capital, to nearby Bah-
rain in under an hour. Within Doha itself,
a Metro spanning 216 km will be the
worlds largest planned driverless sys-
tem and will encompass a network of
underground, ground-level and elevated
tracks along four lines and 85 stations.
This integrated rail network will con-
tain at least one light-rail line, designed
to provide seamless transportation
between Metro and long-distance, high-
speed passenger service, as well as
international freight service to neighbor-
ing Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
This will mark the frst time in the Mid-
dle East that freight, passenger, metro
and light rails have been planned and
implemented simultaneously. The whole
network is expected to have at least its
initial major phases completed by 2020,
two years before Doha hosts the FIFA
World Cup 2022.
Qatar Railways Company, also known
as Qatar Rail, is seeking to build an
integrated transport system and urban
living environment that transforms how
we live and work in Qatar, according
to Abdulla Abdulaziz Al Subaie, Mana-
ging Director.
All told, the integrated rail network will
cost nearly US$40 billion. It will involve
laying hundreds of kilometers of track,
constructing more than 100 stations, and
coordinating everything from acquiring
the right-of-way for tracks and customs
procedures at international borders to
the location of key nodes where different
elements of the system will connect with
major shopping, cultural and community
facilities within Doha.
Qatar Rail, offcially established in
February 2010, expects to begin forging
contracts by July of this year. We are in
a marathon, not a sprint, and the most
important part of the marathon is prepa-
ration; our preparations are nearly com-
plete, and we will be in delivery soon,
Al Subaie says.
An Integrated Network
The Doha Metro will span the Greater
Doha area, with about one-third of the
track underground (primarily within the city
center), nearly half elevated and the rest at
QATAR RAILWAYS COMPANY
Weaving Rail Transport Into the Fabric of a Nation
ground level. The high-speed passenger
rail line will link the New Doha International
Airportcurrently under construction sev-
eral kilometers from the existing interna-
tional airportwith Dohas city center and
Bahrain. The route will be integrated within
the 40-km-long Qatar-Bahrain Causeway
that is planned to span the Arabian Gulf
between the two countries. The freight
line will link several industrial areas within
Qatar, connecting them to Saudi Arabia
and the region-wide rail network that also
is under development.
The Lusail Light Rail Transit network
a 22-km-long system comprising four
lines and 34 stationswill provide trans-
portation within the massive 11-square-
km mixed-use Lusail development that
is also under construction, and will link
with the Doha Metro at three points.
Infrastructure for Economic
Development
Under the direction of the Rail Steering
Committee (RSC), Qatar Rail will own,
develop, manage and operate the Qatari
Railways Networks on behalf of the RSC.
Its projects will be largely funded by the
Qatari government, Al Subaie says. In turn,
the entire rail network will play a major role
in Qatars economic development.
Our rail service must be an essential
feature of Qatars urban fabric; it must
be part of the daily lives of Qataris and
expatriate residents alike, and we must
integrate rail and the Metro into our
buildings and ways of doing business,
says Al Subaie.
Qatar Rail
Mr. Abdulla Abdulaziz Al Subaie,
Managing Director of Qatar Railways Company
In one generation, we hope to
achieve something that has taken
other nations many decades to
achieve. We know this is not a
low-risk strategy, but we have
been blessed with resources that
allow us to undertake a strategic
program of this scale as part of a
transformational national vision and
to set high objectives for ourselves.
Mr. Abdulla Abdulaziz Al Subaie
Image is an art impression only, concepts may change
13
PROMOTION // QATAR
QTEL GROUP
Enriching Peoples Lives
T
he Tunisian uprising of 2011 saw
thousands of customers run out
of credit as shops closed and
commerce was disrupted. Rather
than leave people stranded and unable
to contact loved ones, Qtel Group com-
pany Tunisiana gave every customer daily
credit to stay in touch and reconnected
all disconnected telephone numbers.
This remarkable ability to touch lives
around the world is made even more
striking by the rapid development of
the Qtel Group. In 2005, Qtel was a
sole-country telecommunications oper-
ator with approximately 500,000 custo-
mers. Today it has more than 82 million
customers and a presence in the Middle
East and North Africa, Southeast Asia
and the Indian subcontinent.
The Qtel Group recognizes the power
of communications technology to
change peoples lives, and has clear
ambitions to achieve a global leader-
ship position and to tackle some of
the fundamental challenges facing
the industry.
Dr. Nasser Marafh, Chief Executive
Offcer of Qtel Group, explains: Look-
ing ahead, the challenge for operators
will be making sure they can take full
advantage of the changing environ-
ment. Mobile broadband and mobile
Internet will be the key growth engine of
our industry in the future, and will have
important implications for our custom-
ers daily lives.
A Better, More Enriching
Experience
For Qtel Group, the key to thriving in
this new era is understanding your cus-
tomers better than anyone else. It plans
to develop the products that customers
want, push to be even more service-
oriented and, most of all, enhance the
customer experience.
The Qtel Group is aiming to become
fully broadband-ready across all its
operations. It has already launched a
nationwide LTE project in Qatar, and it
Dr. Nasser Marah, Chief Executive Ofcer of
Qtel Group
www.qtel.qa
is ready to launch in Kuwait after suc-
cessful trials.
The company is also investing QAR1
billion in a superfast Qtel Fibre net-
work in Qatar. It has invested in new
networks for Palestine and Tunisia
connecting whole populations that had
previously been denied reliable mobile
accessand is working on modern-
ization projects in Oman, the Maldives
and Indonesia.
A diverse portfolio helps expand the
range of management resources within
the Group and increases competencies
across the business.
Focused on the Fundamentals
While exploring the frontiers of techno-
logy, Qtel Group is also focused on
getting the fundamentals right. Build-
ing scale is central to the companys
strategy. This includes looking for
opportunities to expand its sharehold-
ing in existing strategic assets, as well
as examining investment opportunities
as they arise.
At the same time, the Group will drive
further operational and cost effcien-
cies, improve productivity and scale
benefts while growing organizational
and people capabilities.
The best-performing companies are
those that are leaders in talent devel-
opment and management. We want to
ensure that we are working smarter and
more effectively across our operations,
Dr. Nasser says.
Dr. Nasser concludes: We believe
that the future is incredibly exciting for
the communications sector. Our indus-
try enriches the lives of people around
the world, and we should all be proud of
what we have achieved and excited by
the opportunities ahead.
Having operations in mature
markets helps you gain
experience in new technologies,
which you then can push into your
growth markets.
Dr. Nasser Marafh
In Touch With the WorldMuseum of Islamic Art, Doha