Qatar Investment Authority
Country: Qatar
Established: 2000
US$ Billion: 60
Origin: Oil
Transparency Rating: 1
Summary:
Qatar is one of the largest exporters of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) thus giving them a commodity surplus of wealth. The Qatar Investment Authority is a sovereign wealth fund that invests domestically and internationally to curtail reliance on energy price volatility.
Other Subsidiaries:
Qatar Holding LLC was incorporated in April 2006 within the jurisdiction of Qatar Financial Centre as the prime vehicle for strategic and direct investments by the State of Qatar.
The fund also owns a holding company called the Qatar Investment Company which owns the Qatar Holding LLC.
Delta Two LTD is also an investment vehicle of the Qatar Investment Authority.
Strategies and Objectives
Their prime objective is to achieve revenue diversification for the state of Qatar over the next 10 to 15 years from its establishment date. As a result of its stated strategy to minimize risk from Qatar's reliance on energy prices, the fund predominantly invests in international markets (US, Europe and Asia) and within Qatar outside the energy sector. The fund focuses on three asset classes; real estate, private equity and investment funds.
News and Updates
5/7/2008
QIA to invest in Asian Real Estate
QIA plans to invest around 40% of its real estate allocation in Asia.
According to Bloomberg, "the Qatar Investment Authority has been investing in property in the past 2 1/2 years to diversity its holdings.
Qatar Investment Authority last week bought a 27 percent stake in a Vietnamese property fund, Dragon Capital, which will buy into offices and serviced apartments in Ho Chi Min City. It may also look to invest in individual projects with the fund."
read more: Bloomberg
5/5/2008
Qatar Oman Investment Company setting up a new investment company
According to the Gulf Times, "the Qatar Oman Investment Company (QOIC) is exploring possibilities of setting up a new investment company with a capital of QR300mn in Oman. A spokesman for QOIC, in which Qatar Investment Authority and Oman government together held 40% stake, said the new investment company’s aim was to invest in all economic activities. However, he did not furnish more details regarding when the company would start operations and what would be the proportion of its investment in various sectors. QOIC was established in July 2006 with a paid-up capital of QR300mn to invest in both countries’ financial, educational, health care, tourism, real estate and other sectors. In Oman, the largest share of investments (45%) would be devoted to real estate and infrastructure development, while in Qatar; the largest share (25%) would target the financial services sector."
read more: Gulf Times
3/6/08
QIA increases LSE stake
The Qatar Investment Authority's stake in London Stock Exchange Group PLC rose to more than 15 per cent as the U.K. market started its share buyback, regulatory filings show. The Qatari government-owned investment fund, which previously held 14.9 per cent of LSE, now holds 15.078 per cent, according to filings released yesterday.
read more: The Star
2/24/08
QIA focuses on RBS investment
The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) may be considering a small investment on RBS as the home for part of a $15 billion pool of cash that it is planning to invest in European and U.S. banks.
Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is Britain's second largest bank. Major banks such as Citigroup Inc., have turned to sovereign wealth funds for capital injections as the global credit crisis has deepened.
read more: Reuters
2/19/08
QIA invests in Credit Suisse
QIA invests less than 2%, roughly US $500 million, in Credit Suisse. Under Swiss banking rules, Credit Suisse would have to disclose any stake above 3%.
Location
Corniche Street
P.O. Box 23224
Doha
Qatar
Website
Qatar Ministry of Finance
Major Direct Foreign Investments (Public)
| Company |
Country |
Industry |
% Ownership |
Comments |
| Sainsbury J Plc - Underlying |
United Kingdom |
Consumer Goods |
24.97% |
|
| London Stock Exchange |
United Kingdom |
|
15.078% |
|
| Epicure Qatar Equity Opportunities |
United Kingdom |
|
10.1% |
|
| Lagardere |
France |
|
6.09% |
|
|
Major Direct Foreign Investments (Private)
| Company |
Country |
Type |
% Ownership |
Comments |
| BLC Bank - France |
France |
Subsidiary |
100% |
|
|
1. All figures quoted are from official sources, or, where the institutions concerned do not issue statistics of their holdings, from other publicly available sources.
|
