Investments
In January 2013, one writer pegged the QIA investment in Britain at €30 billion, France at €10 billion and Germany at €5 billion,[8] while another reported that the total assets under management in June 2013 was on the order of $100 billion.[32] Qatar Holding's stake in Barclays rose to 12.7% following Barclays' capital raising in October 2008.[33] Qatar Investment Authority holds a small stake in Fisker Automotive. It also holds about 17% stake in the Volkswagen Group, Porsche, Hochtief, as well as investments in Sainsbury's.[34] The French government has made of Qatar a strategic partner, and the list of partnerships between the two states includes Total (4%), EADS (6%), Technip, Air Liquide, Vinci SA (5%), GDF Suez, Veolia (5%), Vivendi, Royal Monceau, France Telecom and Areva.[8][35][36] In February 2009, France accorded special beyond-OECD investment privileges to Qatar and its state-owned enterprises; one example is capital gains exemptions in France.[36] The QIA is also reported to hold 8.2% of Glencore.[32] QIA holds a 6% stake in Credit Suisse. The French government has offered tax exemptions for Qatari real estate investments in the country and have acquired almost $4 billion of property.[37] In May 2012, it acquired a stake below 3% in Royal Dutch Shell. It has announced a plan to raise its stake to 7%.[38]
In November 2012, QIA and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti signed the starting agreement of IQ Made in Italy Venture, a four-year cooperation to promote Made in Italy in Qatar's Arabic partners and to push them to invest in Italian economic sectors like fashion, luxury, design, food, tourism, lifestyle & leisure.[39][40][41]
In January 2013, Qatar Holding, an indirect subsidiary of QIA, said it would invest $5 billion into petrochemical projects in Malaysia in three to four years. The investment was said to help Malaysia compete with neighbouring Singapore to become the region's top petrochemical hub.[42] The QIA was planning to invest $200 million in residential property in India through Kotak Realty Fund in late December 2013.[43] In August 2018, Qatar Investment Authority signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to invest up to $500mn in tourism in Indonesia.[44]
In October 2014 Qatar Investment Authority signed an agreement with CITIC Group Corp to launch a $10 billion fund to invest in China.[45] The QIA announced its intention to invest $35b in the US during the next five years, starting in September 2015.[46][47][48]
Via Mannai Corporation, it is currently in a process of acquiring the French computer science group GFI.[49] In 2021, QIA with its subsidiary unit - Locus Engineering Management and Services Co. W.L.L. is investing in a sub-Saharan African renewable energy platform being led by Enel Green Power.[50]
During the 2021 St Petersburg Economic Forum, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani highlighted Qatar's solid historic relations with Russia and announced that his country will increase investments in the Russian Federation. He also called on Russia's private sector and the world to explore Qatar's promising business environment in many projects and several spheres.[51]
On 23 January 2023, Qatar Investment Authority has doubled its stake in Credit Suisse Group, becoming the second-biggest shareholder and underlining the growing importance of Middle Eastern investors to the ailing Swiss bank.[52][53]
In June 2024, Reuters wrote that QIA had agreed to buy a 10% stake in ChinaAMC and was awaiting approval by Chinese regulators.[54]
Real estate
The QIA real estate portfolio includes direct ownership, joint ventures,[55] trusts and funds.[56] It wholly controls Qatari Diar, a property investment company,[57] and also owns Katara Hospitality, a global hotel owner, developer and operator.[58]
In 2013, QIA acquired a 40% stake in the Porta Nuova business district in Milan,[59] later purchasing the remaining interest in 2015.[60]
QIA has purchased $3.78 billion in Manhattan properties since 2014, including 111 West 33rd Street, 501 Seventh Avenue and 250 West 57th Street.
