Overview

Hamad Port is operated by Q Terminals, a company created by Milaha (Qatar Navigation) and Qatar Ports Management Company (Mwani Qatar). The Hamad Port project is being undertaken to attract trade and industrialization to diversify the economy in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030. In early 2019, the first of Qatar’s free zones opened adjacent to the port offering space for local businesses to grow as well as opportunities for international companies to invest in Qatar.

The Hamad Port project has ties with Qatar Rail whose railway line is also due to be completed by 2030, and the government is planning to build a cargo rail terminal adjacent to the port. In addition to this anticipated rail connection, Hamad Port sits at the heart of Al Majd Road, the country’s newest motorway network. The main goal of Qatar having all of these travel entities working in tangent together is to bolster the growth of industry in Qatar while exploring new trading opportunities. The country is working to establish sustainable connections with more distant ports in India, Pakistan, East Africa, and the northern Gulf.

Hamad Port is an important hub for tourism as Qatar has also experienced significant growth in maritime tourism in addition to trade. The cruise ship season runs from October to April and brings in thousands of tourists. It is the hope of Qatar that improvements to roads and public transport networks connecting key transport nodes across the country will enable the increasingly efficient movement of goods and people. These transport improvements will cater to visitors of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, while also fostering growth beyond the tournament and bring in new opportunities for trade and tourism.

Related Organizations:

• Milaha 
• Mwani 
• Qatar Free Zones 
• Qatar Rail 

Overview

Hamad International Airport (HIA) is Qatar’s new airport and opened in 2014. It is located next to its capital Doha and the Arabian Gulf. HIA is the home of Qatar Airways and serves over 360,000 flights and 30 million passengers per year. HIA has earned a five star Skytrax rating.

In response to Covid-19, hand sanitizer stations were placed throughout the airport, with frequent sanitizing of any passenger touch points, and disinfection of all passenger luggage. There are mobile disinfection robots that emit concentrated UV light that eliminates the majority of infectious organisms, enforcement of physical distancing, thermal screening, and the implementation of contactless technologies.

HIA offers a plethora of services, including ones geared towards those with special needs and unaccompanied minors, as well as multiple recreational facilities spanning shopping, dining, and leisure. Those with special needs are entitled to reserved parking space, barrier free access through a network of things like elevators and ramps, adapted check in counters, a dedicated lounge, and complimentary wheelchairs and adapted washrooms. Shops at HIA include the Qatar Duty Free store as well as luxury brands such as Burberry London and Bulgari. Dining options are vast and range from fast food chains like Burger King all the way to big name branches like Harrods Tea Room. Leisure facilities include world class lounges and art exhibitions. HIA also houses one of the most sophisticated cargo terminals in the industry. Its cargo terminal has the capacity to process 1.4 million tonnes of cargo per year. The facility incorporates warehouse spaces, automated systems/retrieval systems, offices and shops. It covers 55,000 square meters, has 11 wide body freighter aircraft stands and 42 airside loading docks. In addition, it also consists of 31 landside truck loading facilities that can assist in the fast and efficient transfer of cargo both in and out of Qatar.

Overview

Since its launch in 1997, Qatar Airways has earned many awards, becoming one of an elite group of airlines worldwide to have earned a 5-star rating by Skytrax, and becoming the national airline of Qatar. Operations began in 1994 when the airline was a small regional carrier serving a handful of routes. The airline was relaunched in 1997 under the mandate of His Highness The Father Amir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who outlined a vision to turn Qatar Airways into a leading international airline with the highest standards of service and excellence. Qatar Airways has since become one of the fastest growing carriers in the history of aviation with unprecedented expansion averaging double digit growth year on year. The airline has developed under the dynamic leadership of Group Chief Executive, Mr. Akbar Al Baker, appointed in 1997, who has been instrumental in turning Qatar Airways into an award winning carrier. Under Mr. Al Baker’s stewardship, Qatar Airways has matured into a leading force in regional and global aviation, earning many admirers around the world for its excellent standards of service.

Throughout its many years of operation, Qatar Airways has received many accolades. In 2011 Qatar Airways was recognized for reaching the impressive milestone of having reached 100 destinations on its global route maps, and has also won the Airline of the Year award several times. Qatar Airways continues to provide quality service and hopes to maintain its position as one of the top airlines.

Subsidiaries & Related Organizations:

• Qatar Duty Free
• Al Maha Services 
• Qatar Airways Cargo 
• Qatar Aviation Services 
• Internal Media Services 
• Hamad International Airport 
• Qatar Executive
• Qatar Distribution Company 

Overview

Qatar Rail is the state owned railway that sustainably and efficiently works to get both people and freight around the country. Established by Amiri decree in 2011, Qatar Rail was given the mandate to design and develop the country’s rail network, as well as manage, operate, and maintain them following completion.

Qatar Rail has two main directives to meet the transportation needs of the country: the Doha Metro, a mostly underground rail network which connects communities within Doha and its suburbs; and the Lusail Tram (LT), a tram network providing comfortable and convenient travel within the new city of Lusail. Qatar Rail’s vision for the Lusail Tram is to have commuters enjoying a smart, driverless experience equipped with advanced safety and security controls, intelligent air conditioning, and spacious seating on their trips around Qatar.

Qatar Rail is responsible for the development and regulation of the railway sector within the country and as such it has come up with many of the service requirements that it implements. Qatar Rail is responsible for the development of railway standards that include safety, environment, customer service, the management of costs and feasibilities, the appointment and oversight of program management contracts, the integration of the rail network with other pre-existing modes of transport, the development of railway sector policies (including fare policies) and strategies, and lastly, the enforcement of regulations and standards on all rail service operators.

Related Organizations:

• Ministry of Transport & Communications
• Mowasalat

Overview

Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) is the sovereign wealth fund of the State of Qatar and is a major contributor to realizing the Qatar National Vision of 2030. QIA was founded in 2005 to strengthen the country’s economy by diversifying into new asset classes. Building on the heritage of Qatari investments dating back more than three decades, QIA’s growing portfolio of long-term investments help complement Qatar’s wealth in natural resources. 

QIA was established to operate at the highest levels of global investing, with headquarters in Doha and a subsidiary in New York (QIA Advisory), and a second QIA Advisory office in Singapore that opened in the summer of 2021. QIA adheres to the strictest financial and commercial criteria as a world-class investor. QIA has a strong track record of investing in multiple asset classes, including listed securities, property, alternative assets and private equity in all the major markets globally. QIA seeks investments that are socially, economically, and environmentally responsible, and looks beyond short-term returns as QIA pursues balanced and sustainable growth to maximize long-term returns.

Qatar’s goal is to become a major international center for finance and investment management, a vision shared by its government, people, and institutions. With $300 billion in assets, QIA is the steward and holding company for a growing group of world-class businesses that have been established and nurtured in Qatar over the past two decades such as Ooredoo, Qatar National Bank (QNB), Qatari Diar, and Katara Hospitality. QIA’s main sectors of investment are real estate, health, commodities, fintech, and infrastructure. QIA owns 100% of Qatar Holding LLC, and is a shareholder in Qatar National Bank (50%). QIA is invested in Qatar Islamic Bank (16.67%) and Ubac Curaçao NV (1.35%). Additionally, QIA is affiliated with Qatar Sports Investments (QSi). QIA, which owns consequential stakes in the London Stock Exchange (LSEG.L), Iberdrola SA (IBE.MC), Volkswagen Group, and Brookfield Property Partners, has been diversifying its investments from core US and European markets towards Africa and Asia.

Subsidiaries & Related Organizations:

• Qatar Holding LLC 
• Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company 
• Katara Hospitality 
• QNB Group 
• Qatar Asset Management Co 
• Qatar Railways Development
• Hassad Food 
• Barwa Group 
• Harrods 
• Harrods Estates 
• Harrods Aviation 
• Air Harrods 
• Linx Cargo Care Group 
• Future French Champions SAS
• Q REIT Holding 
• Ascott Serviced Residence (Global) Fund
• Qatar Dubai Investments
• OCS Investments

Overview

Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) was founded in 2004 to support diversification of Qatar’s economy by developing a knowledge based economy. QSTP aims to reduce dependence on hydrocarbon industries, invest in higher education and research, foster the private sector, and most notably, to generate and sustain new technology-based businesses. QSTP’s mission and goal is to provide quality education (pre-university and in university) to Qataris. QTSP has made this a reality and now comprises a cluster of eight leading international and homegrown universities, primary and secondary schools, research centers and policy institutes, various scholastic and community-focused entities, and much more. This unique ecosystem is designed to leverage synergies across disciplines and sectors to bring new technologies matured in Qatar, into the global marketplace.

QSTP functions by providing office and lab space to tenant companies, in a complex of multi-user and single-user buildings, and by providing professional services and support programs to those companies, such as the flagship QSTP XLR8, a tech business accelerator program. In September 2005 the Government of Qatar passed a law making the science park a “free zone”, allowing foreign companies to set up a 100 percent owned entity free from tax and duties.

QSTP is co-located in Qatar Foundation’s Education City alongside international universities. These include satellite college campuses in Qatar for Carnegie Mellon, Cornell, Georgetown, Northwestern, Texas A&M, and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). The science park’s location helps its tenant companies collaborate with these universities and acts as an incubator for spin-out ventures from the universities. After nearly a decade in operation, QTSP has had over 1000+ participants in its innovation programs since 2008, incubated 22 Qatari tech start ups, invested 4.3 billion Qatari riyals in the companies registered under its name, employed over 5000 people, and is now the base for over 50 companies. As a growing entity, QTSP is focused on its mission of educating and building bridges between Qatar and other countries.

QSTP is also a member of the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation, an NGO in special consultative status with the UN, and in 2014 was the first Arab country to host the association’s 31st World Conference.  

Subsidiaries & Related Organizations:

• Qatar Foundation
• Qatar Biobank
• Qatar Biomedical Research Institute
• Qatar Computing Research Institute
• Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute
• Qatar Genome Programme
• Qatar National Research Fund

Overview

The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) provides business and economic institutions with a financial services platform for any business that is interested in operating in the Qatari economy. QFC was created with the long-term goals of supporting the development of Qatar and the wider region, developing local and regional markets, and strengthening the links between the energy based economies and global financial markets as part of the Qatar 2030 National Vision. 

The Qatar Financial Centre Authority is QFC’s commercial and strategic arm. QFC also consists of an independent financial regulator, the QFC Regulatory Authority (QFCRA), and an independent judiciary comprising a Civil and Commercial Court and a Regulatory Tribunal. The QFC Authority is responsible for leading the expansion of Qatar’s financial services sector and for developing relationships with the regional and global financial community.

Apart from Qatar itself, which needs to raise the capacity of its financial services to support more than $140 billion worth of projects, the QFC also provides a conduit for financial services providers to access nearly $1 trillion of investment across the GCC as a whole over the next decade.

Related Organizations:

• Qatar Financial Centre Authority
• Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority
• Ministry of Commerce & Industry
• Investment Promotion Agency Qatar
• Qatar Free Zones
• Qatar Science & Technology Park

Overview

The Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZA) is an independent authority created in 2018 to oversee free zones in Qatar, offering opportunities for businesses seeking to expand globally. Though only established in 2005, the Qatar Free Zones (QFZ) have been home to many exciting and new developments. The free zones were designed and are dedicated to the diversification and development of Qatar’s economy, focusing on four core sectors: emerging technologies, logistics, industry, and maritime, all while maintaining a commitment to quality and sustainability.

There are currently two free zones in Qatar:

1. Ras Bufontas Free Zone, a 400 hectare area adjacent to Hamad International Airport; and
2. Umm AlHoul Free Zone, a 3,000 hectare area adjacent to Hamad Port,

Both free zones are continuously growing and open for foreign investment. One example of QFZ’s partnerships is with iLife Digital, which will host Qatar’s first laptop manufacturing facility in the Umm Alhoul Free Zone. 

Setting up in QFZ gives companies access to fast growing nearby markets in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and Western Asia. This is done with the intent that an influx of new businesses to these areas will contribute to the economic growth of Qatar and increase the diversification of the Qatari economy.

QFZ businesses enjoy the benefits of 0% corporate tax for renewable 20-year periods, 100% foreign ownership with full capital repatriation, branch or LLC structuring options, access to investment funding, robust data protection and intellectual property laws, zero customs duties, no individual income tax, and full access to Qatar’s double taxation treaty network with over 65 countries.

Related Organizations:

• Ministry of Commerce & Industry (MOCI)
• Investment Promotion Agency of Qatar (IPA Qatar)
• Qatar Financial Centre (QFC)
• Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP)

Overview

Established in 2019 as part of the Qatar National Vision 2030, the Investment Promotion Agency of Qatar (IPA Qatar) is mandated to attract more Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) into Qatar. The IPA Qatar aims to be a single and complete source for investment solutions in the State of Qatar by attracting FDI in all of the country’s priority sectors. IPA Qatar also pursues targeted, sector-specific investment promotion agendas and coordinates investment promotion and marketing activities with key stakeholders, as well as develops policy advisory.

The goal of the advisory is to bring the cutting edge of competition to Qatar and establish it as a regional and international destination for investment. Qatar has recently made several changes designed to reform in order to become a more attractive destination for business. This includes the Foreign Investment Law of 2019, which allows up to 100% foreign investment in all sectors. Other initiatives include the launch of single-window services to simplify commercial registration; the establishment of IPA Qatar; the opening up of the real estate sector to foreign investors; the facilitation of the permanent residency application process for real estate investors; and the establishment of the QFZA. The majority of these initiatives were launched between 2017 and 2019, which shows the rapid progress the country is making. Qatar benefits from its geostrategic location between Asia, Africa, and Europe. The QFZA is geographically open, ready to accept investments from all over the world and benefit from well-developed infrastructure, which includes the Hamad Port, the Hamad International Airport, as well as internal roads and highways. In addition, Qatar benefits from a high human development index and high levels of education.

There are several other benefits investors can leverage, including the country’s various trade links, bilateral investment protection agreements, double taxation agreements, and free trade agreements. These are just a few factors that offer Qatar a competitive edge in the economic ecosystem.

Related Organizations:

• Ministry of Commerce & Industry
• Qatar Free Zones
• Qatar Science & Technology Park
• Qatar Financial Centre

Overview

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. is a defense and diversified technologies company, founded in 1955. GA and affiliated companies operate on five continents. GA is the principal private sector participant in thermonuclear fusion research and is a leader in the development of next-generation nuclear fission and high-temperature materials technologies. The group occupies 8+ million square feet of engineering, laboratory, and manufacturing facilities and comprises over 15,000 employees.

One of the main affiliates of General Atomics is General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc (GA-ASI). GA-ASI is an American company specializing in research and technology development. Established in 1955 and headquartered in San Diego, California, the company provides remotely operated surveillance aircraft, Predator family systems and airborne sensors. They encourage employees to harness the power of technology in order to design revolutionizing capabilities for defense and civil missions. This is in line with their overall vision, which is to support the ever-changing warfighter and civil operations.

One of the main products that GA-ASI creates is remotely piloted aircrafts. The services that they offer relate largely to this main product. They offer services in three key areas: aircraft control and integrated intelligence, cross-domain solutions, training and support services. Within aircraft control and integrated intelligence they offer the creation of ground control stations and integrated intelligence centers as well as communications solutions. In their cross-domain section, GA-ASI offers solutions and products that combine a variety of their focus areas such as radar technology, multi-mission payloads, and detect and avoid systems.