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B’HERE MAGAZINE

QATAR

From pearl trading to global powerhouse and education hub: A STORY TO TELL

SPORTSCONSTRUCTIONTELECOMMUNICATIONTOURISMENERGYFINANCEINFRASTRUCTUREEDUCATIONSPORTS

CONTENTS

B’I

NSPIRED

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8

Qatar has benefitted from exceptionally rich natural resources that have led to great prosperity, but has taken the challenge to convert this natural wealth into home grown resourcefulness.

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Qatar Foundation was created “as a vehicle to convert the country’s current, but temporary, mineral wealth into durable human capital” and transform Qatar into an educational hub.

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ONNECTED

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36

Qatar is liberalizing the sector and adding the ‘e’ for electronic prefix to numerous initiatives, from e-government and e-health, to e-education and e-literacy.

B’M

ONEY

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Qatar’s financial sector has experienced unprecedented growth over the past five years, with assets, deposits and profits surging year-onyear.

4 | Qatar 2009

B’R

EAL

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The sheer number of real estate projects underway in Qatar can only be expected from the one of the world’s fastest growing economies.

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As environmental concerns become increasingly prominent internationally, there is a growing need for the energy sector to be more environmentally friendly.

B’Q

ATARI

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In a country that relied on pearl fishing for its income not too long ago, families like the Darwish, Faisal, Jaidah and Alfardan, managed to build up their empires from scratch.

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OSTALGIC

lìê=áÇÉåíáíó=áë=çìê= ãçëí=î~äì~ÄäÉ= 106 éçëëÉëëáçå== Qatar is set out on a course to preserve and uphold its heritage and identity while the country undergoes the current massive transformation.

Qatar 2009 | 5

CONTENTS

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HILLED

qeb=gbtbi=fk=qeb= 116 dricÛp=`oltk== Doha mixes its top-end boutiques and sports facilities with the alleyways and smells of spices of its Souq Waqif, while the country offers a Caribbean coastline and desert to explore.

B’C

ULTURED

^=tçêâ=lÑ=^êíKKK=qç=eçëí 126 ^=tçêäÇ=lÑ=^êíë== Qatar’s Museum of Islamic Art, I.M. Pei’s last architectural masterpiece, is to host the world’s leading collection of Islamic art.

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oÉ~Çó=Ñçê=íÜÉ läóãéáÅ=d~ãÉë=============136 Sports is at the forefront of plans to not only make the populace a healthier one but also put the country on the map as a hub for professional sports in the Middle East.

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Qatar will become the hub of the Middle East in healthcare, especially the state hospital, Hamad Medical, where they are not only aiming to provide health services but also to be involved in research as well as education.

6 | Qatar 2009

B' I N S P I R E D

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I

n the early 1920´s, Abdullah Darwish used to make the 12 km journey across the unmerciful desert to sell sheep for a living. The people of the area asked him one day, why such a struggle for such little money?

Darwish, who used to buy the sheep at one Gulf rupee each and sell them for one and a half, would astutely reply: “It is not just half a rupee, it’s 50% profit.”

With this determination, Abdullah Darwish founded his own company in 1944. Today, better known as Darwish Holding, his conglomerate is worth more than $1 billion and has diversified his core retail business into construction and real estate.

8 | Qatar 2009

The story of Darwish parallels Qatar’s meteoric growth, particularly over the past decade with the country going from being a quiet but affluent backwater of the Gulf to become one of the fastest growing economies in the world and a major player in

Also in

B’INSPIRED

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Qatar Unique Facts

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Growing International Clout

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Sovereign Wealth Funds

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Qatar in Numbers

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ASPIRE

than 0.1% of the world population.

The surge in energy revenues resulted in a slew of investments to develop Qatar, requiring hundreds of thousands of expatriate workers, which have brought up the population from 300,000 in 1986 to more than one million. But despite such growth, the populace is among the richest in the world. According to Gulf Finance House, the GDP per capita is projected to grow 23% this year to $96,484 topping the Middle East and far higher than the USA’s $47,000.

energy, business, politics, and education.

This small state of barely 11,437km2 that shares its only land border with Saudi Arabia and is otherwise surrounded by the Persian Gulf, is roughly a third of the size of Connecticut or Belgium, but owns massive energy reserves. Its oil fields, meant to last at the current pace of production for at least another 90 years, are nothing compared to its massive gas reserves.

Qatar owns the third-largest non-associated gas reserves in the world, only surpassed by Iran and Russia, and set to last for another 200 years. Since the first Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) train came on stream in 1997, strategic investments in the sector has transformed Qatar into the world’s largest producer of LNG. With the discovery of the North Field, Qatar is believed to control around 15% of the world’s entire proven gas reserves while its national population makes up significantly less

BEYOND OIL AND GAS Qatar is a nation on a mission that has made brave choices to shape its future society and economy. For years the county has benefitted from exceptionally rich natural resources that have led to great prosperity, but Qatar has taken the challenge to convert this natural wealth into home grown resourcefulness.

It is not just sitting on its oil and gas wealth and making do with a mono-economy. This would be the easy option, particularly as Qatar is the world’s largest exporter of LNG at 30 million tons annually and, with 900 million cubic feet of reserves, has an export capacity that is expected to more than double by 2020.

Furthermore, with some 133 by-products from LNG, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), piped gas, and plans to become the Gas To Liquids (GTL) capital of the world via exports of one million barrels per day, energy could be all that Qatar is about.

But Qatar drives a safe road as development goes according to plans previously outlined in the National Vision program that is frequently reviewed and updated. As emphasized by the General Secretariat

Qatar 2009 | 9

Ras Gas Plant

B' I N S P I R E D

for Development Planning, Vision 2030 is to transform Qatar into “an advanced country by 2030, capable of sustaining its own development and providing for a high standard of living for all its people for generations to come.�

The plan is based on four pillars, namely human, social, economic and environmental development.

Its concerns are not just with economic advancement

10 | Qatar 2009

but rather with all aspects of society, so as to create a competitive but also healthy and happy populace. And following this plan, Qatar in the near future could be a hub of knowledge and sports, known for its world-class universities and sports facilities.

The ruling family is a mirror of the happenings in the country. The Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, born in 1952 and educated at the Royal

Military Academy at Sandhurst in the UK, continues to increase the role of Qatar in the international politics arena. While doing this, his son Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, who became Crown Prince in 2003, is acclaimed in Qatar not only for his business skills but also for his interest in launching Qatar as a major host of international sports events since he headed the Qatari National

Olympic Committee.

The Emir’s wife, Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser Al-Misned is not only the president of the Qatar Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes education in the country, but the 79th most powerful women in the world and the second in the Arab world according to Forbes magazine. One of their daughters, HE Sheikha Mayassa bint Hamad al-Thani, became the

Qatar: Unique Facts Qatar’s population has soared from 20,000 to 1.5 million in just over 50 years.

Qatar is the fastest growing economy in the world and despite the global downturn Qatar’s 2009 budget will be it’s biggest ever.

At over $90,000 Qatar has the second largest GDP per capita in the world.

Qatar has the third largest gas reserves after Iran and Russia and 15% of the world’s total.

Qatar is largest exporter of LNG in the world, reaching 77 million tons in 2011, 30% of the world’s total.

Sidra Research & Medical Center’s $7.9 billion endowment is the largest in the world.

Qatar will have the first Energy City in the world at Lusail.

The Friendship Bridge between Bahrain and Qatar will be the longest fixed-link bridge in the world.

The news channel Al Jazzeera was the first worldwide

voice of the Arab world in English.

Qatar is the third country in the world in allocation per capita for research, only behind the USA and Japan and ranks now second in the world in attracting scientists.

Qatar was the first country to host the Asian Olympic Games in 2006 and is now bidding for the 2020 Olympic Games as well as hosting the Soccer World Cup in 2018, a first for the Arab world.

Aspire, the sports education center, has the largest indoor sports dome in the world, covering 290,000 square meters.

Qatari national Nasser Al Attiya was a stage leader in the Paris-Dakar Rally 2009.

Five top American universities have branches in Qatar: Carnegie Mellon, Virginia Commonwealth, Weil Cornell, Texas A&M, Georgetown.

Qatar Airways is to fly to over 100 destinations and is one of the fastest growing airlines in the world.

Qatar 2009 | 11

B' I N S P I R E D chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Qatar Museum Authority that represents the recently inaugurated Museum of Islamic Arts, and is in charge of driving the country into a cultural renaissance.

Guiding Qatar’s continuous development remains a great responsibility to the Al Thani family, which has ruled the country since the late eighteenth century.

CRISIS? WHAT CRISIS? Although international oil prices have collapsed from a record of above $147 a barrel last year to under $50 at the end of 2008, Qatar is well placed to weather the storm with its 250 trillion cubic feet of estimated natural gas reserves and LNG production capacity estimated to double by 2012.

GROWING INTERNATIONAL CLOUT The international role of Qatar was highlighted in 2006 when the country garnered a seat on the UN Security Council, and in 2008 successfully hosted high level emergency talks between rival factions in Lebanon, which resulted in a historic agreement, known as the Doha Agreement.

In May 2008, Qatar replaced Saudi Arabia as the traditional peace broker for Lebanon by hosting Lebanese political leaders in Doha, ending eight days of violent clashes between the government and the Hizbullahled opposition. The Doha Agreement resulted in the election of a president and ended an 18-month political standoff that had paralyzed Lebanon. It brought the country back from the brink of civil war.

Only last year, the 8th Doha Forum for Democracy, Development and Free Trade was held in Doha, covering an assortment of issues from politics, security and technology to globalization. The three-day forum was notable for the invitation extended to the then Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who apologized for her absence.

The latest annual conference of the six member GCC, held in Doha, also raised eyebrows when Iran was invited for the

12 | Qatar 2009

Pr Minister Fouad Siniora Meets The Arab Ministreial Committee

first time as an observer, seen as a sign of warming relations between the Gulf and its larger northern neighbour. At the end of November 2008, when the financial crisis became obvious, Qatar hosted the UN International Conference on Finance for Development.

More recent developments have raised Qatar´s profile in the global media following British Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s and other senior western leaders visit to Doha at the end of last year in an attempt to get this gas and oil-rich Gulf state to help tackle the global financial crisis and overhaul the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“Qatar has played an important role and the West depends on wealthier nations like Qatar to reform the IMF, but also the country plays another role in terms of individual institutions: Qatar is taking positions in large European houses such as Barclays Bank

where there are opportunities as well as giving a helping hand,” said Andrew Stevens, Group CEO of Commercial Bank Group.

Since the early stages of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, Qatar has become an even more important international player. A higher contribution to the IMF will also mean a heavier say in the politics of the institution and, at the end, in the development funding.

Qatar has growing experience in development projects in countries such as Sudan through its investment authority, the QIA, and its execution arm Qatar Diar. Qatar was also involved in the reconstruction of Southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs following the July 2006 war between Israel and Hizbullah, evident in the billboards that dot Lebanon’s highways saying Shukran Qatar, “Thank you Qatar.”

B' I N S P I R E D 40%. As a consequence, some sectors of the economy such as finance or real estate are experiencing astronomic growth. Entire cities are being built and global banks are scrambling to enter the market while local banks are opening new branches and are expanding beyond Qatar’s borders.

Arriving in Doha, you immediately know that you are in a place experiencing great change with construction projects abounding, from skyscrapers to one of the world’s largest man made islands, even whole new cities.

According to experts Qatar´s economy will not be hit as badly by the financial crisis as neighbouring countries, primarily due to LNG exports being based on long-term contract prices and many of the projects coming on-stream. On the contrary, the economy of the country will still grow by a projected 13% in 2009, unlike the USA with a less than 1% growth projection for 2009.

The Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, has explicitly confirmed that all development projects in Qatar will continue on schedule, even if the country has to dip into their vast foreign reserves.

Qatar’s economy will grow by a projected 13% in 2009 Ritz Carlton at night

The country’s plan to move away from a monoeconomy dependent on energy is also driving Qatar’s meteoric rise with the aim of having 60% of the economy non-energy related by 2012 from the current

SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUNDS MAKE THEIR MARK Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) from the Middle East have been making their mark in Europe and North America by buying up landmark buildings, big name companies and financial institutions.

As the US Secretary of the Treasury, Henry Paulson, said on a recent trip to Qatar: “Investment from the Middle East region has increased by 100% over the past two years,” adding that investments from SWFs are welcome in the USA. Qatar’s SWF, the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), has been on a spending spree in the last few years, investing in the non-hydrocarbon sectors to provide an ‘oil hedge’ and boost diversification efforts.

With assets of over $60 billion, the government has said it plans to double this figure within the next two years.

So far, the QIA’s biggest investment was a 23.6% stake in the London

14 | Qatar 2009

Stock Exchange. The authority has also acquired a minority stake in Credit Suisse, and plans to spend up to $15 billion on stocks in European and American banks.

Billion dollar funds have been established in Finland, Malaysia and Indonesia, and through a venture with Singapore’s Keppel Corporation the QIA is investing in the 30 square kilometer Tianjian Eco-City in China.

Qatari Diar, the real estate investment and development arm of the QIA has also been active, purchasing the 12.8 acre Chelsea Barracks in London for $1.9 billion, while the Qatar National Hotels Company has acquired multi-million dollar hotels in France, Spain and Egypt. Meanwhile, Delta Two, a Qatari investment fund, tried to buy a 17.4% stake in British food retailer John Sainsbury for an estimated $2.7 billion.

In November 2008, after the former

president of the US, George W. Bush, called for an emergency summit to discuss solutions to the financial crisis, the British PM Gordon Brown visited Qatar. He left with a joint venture of $370 million called the Clean Technology Fund.

At the same time, the QIA was among the investors that helped the Credit Suisse Group raise $8.64 billion and announced a GBP2 billion rescue package for Britain’s Barclays Bank.

This year, Qatar will undoubtely increase its stakes in major banks, comapnies and real estate developments around the globe in the wake of the financial crisis.

“We are looking at a long-term strategy in investment and not a limited or temporary strategy,” Qatar´s Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani said recently, downplaying the impact of the decline in the global stock market on the QIA.

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TAMUQ

B' I N S P I R E D

True enough that the country’s massive oil and gas reserves have bankrolled Qatar’s development, but prudent usage of revenues has made Qatar means much more than just oil and gas. Under the leadership of Sheikh Hamad, Qatar is diversifying the economy and aspires to become a knowledge economy based on education, sports and health.

EXPANDING THE POLITICAL HORIZON To say that it is a boom time in Qatar is no exageration. High energy prices over the past few years have filled up Qatar’s coffers, liquidity abounds, and massive construction projects are underway throughout the country.

But for a small country Qatar’s wealth, open mindedness and philanthropic goodwill have also afforded it to punch well above its weight in the international community. With the Middle East one of the most politically charged regions on earth, it was always an anomaly that Qatar remained a quiet observer in the midst of conflicts, debacles and heated words.

With an assertive foreign policy, Qatar manages a delicate balancing act in a region that is all too often deeply divided. Few countries in the world can comfortably host Israeli officials one month and the

60% of the economy will be non-energy related by 2012

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Iranian President the next. The forward looking and open approach that Qatar takes with politics leaves many viewing her as a model for progress in the region.

Qatar is an active member of several organizations in the region and internationally, including the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the Arab League, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and at the UN. Qatar is an absolute monarchy where all powers are vested in the Emir, and although there is a cabinet in charge of the daily administration of the country, the Emir rules by royal decree. However, since the arrival of HH Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani in 1995 following a peaceful coup against his father, Qatar has ECONOMY PROJECTIONS Key Indicators

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Real GDP Growth (%)

11.2

13.7

20.8

8.6

4.8

3.8

Consumer Price Inflation (av; %)

14.9

11.1

8.9

6.8

5.8

5.3

Budget Balance 10.4 (% of GDP)

1.5

4.3

7.3

8.7

6.6

Current-account 15.4 balance (% of GDP)

3.7

19.6

24.6

23.9

17

Exchange Rate QR: US$ (av)

3.64

3.64

3.64

3.64

3.64

3.64

Exchange Rate QR: € (av)

5.32

4.68

4.73

4.82

4.92

4.99

Official Name: Capital: Area: Population: Population growth rate: Ethnic groups:

State of QATAR Doha 11,427 sq km 1.3 million (2008 estimate) 2.28 percent (2008 estimate) Arab (40%) Pakistani (18%) Indian (18%) Iranian (10%) Other (14%)

Languages: Life Expectency at Birth: Literacy rate: Form of government: Gross domestic product: GDP per capita (PPP): Monetary unit:

Human Development Index rank:

Arabic (official), English 74.4 years (2008 estimate) 83.5 percent (2005 estimate) Constitutional monarchy $42.5 billion (2005) $87,600 (2007 est.)

1 Qatari riyal (QR), consisting of 100 dirhams 35 (out of 177)

Inflation:

8.6 (historical)

FDI inflows (% of GDP):

4.0 (historical)

GDP Growth %: Exchange rate:

7.80% (2008) $1 = QR 3.63

Exports:

$42,020,000,000 (2007)

Imports:

$19,860,000,000 (2007)

LNG Production:

30 Billion tons (2008)

LNG Estimated Production for 2012:

77 Billion tons

BPD production:

900,000 Barils

R&D (in percentage of GDP):

Doha - Qatar

QATAR IN NUMBERS

2.80%

undergone major institutional changes. One of the greatest has been the approval of a new constitution via a referendum in 2003 that paved the way to create an Advisory Council which two-thirds of the seats to be fill through the ballot box.

Sheikh Hamad has pushed the country to a period of greater liberalization, including such measures as women’s suffrage and the creation of the Al Jazeera TV network in 1996, widely considered the voice of the Middle East, even if it has at times been at loggerheads with the leaders of less liberal countries.

In the last decade, Al Jazeera has been one of the nation’s best ambassadors. Although editorially independent from the state, the fact that it has striven to tell the truth and give the Arab world a voice has won much respect.

In 2001, the country hosted the WTO’s Doha Development Round on free trade, and in more recent years Qatar has been pushing mediation efforts in the region, from Sudan and Somalia to the PalestinianIsraeli conflict.

With this increasingly important international profile, Qatar has opted to rest under the security umbrella of the US, and is now safeguarded by housing the US Military GCC Headquarters at a $1 billion airbase. And although this decision was seemingly uncomfortable for some of the neighbouring countries, Barack Obama´s victory in the last US elections may very well change this perception for the better.

Qatar 2009 | 17

B'CLEVER

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”A

country that empties its purse into the minds of its young, earns the best interest of all,” said His Highness the Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani at a recent event in Doha to outline the country’s long-term strategy, “Vision 2030”.

His words do not differ from what Qataris are already experiencing as the government uses its immense hydrocarbon wealth to invest in education, which is at the heart of a vision that aims to “give the people of Qatar a stake in their country, achieving a sustainable economy and a dynamic society populated with educated, healthy and creative citizens.”

18 | Qatar 2009

While countries like France and the US are famous for their centenary universities, Qatar has chosen a short cut using its negotiating skills with the oil and gas joint-ventures to bring to Qatar not only some of the top universities of the world, such as Georgetown or Carnegie Mellon, but also its top college programs.

It could be said that the country skipped the

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QSTP: A Knowledge Laboratory

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CNA - Qatar: The Outside

JCC - Nadhra Ala - Qatar Foundation Photos credit:

Winner

twentieth century and was catapulted by its wealth into the 21st century. In 1995, shortly after the country began to fully utilize its hydrocarbon reserves, the Emir established the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF).

A multibillion non-profit organization, the QF was created “as a vehicle to convert the country’s current, but temporary, mineral wealth into durable human capital” and transform Qatar into an educational hub for the Middle East and a center of excellence in the scientific community.

The person turning this vision into realty is the Emir’s Consort, Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, the Chairwoman of the Qatar Foundation and a UNESCO Special Envoy for Education.

“Sheikha Mozah has been determinant to revolutionize the country’s education,” said Dr Mohammad Fathy Saoud, President of the Qatar Foundation and instigator of the QF’s flagship project, Education City.

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Education City is spread out over 2500 acres of land just 20 minutes drive from Doha’s vibrant West Bay. The City will be exclusively dedicated to the development of knowledge and the interaction of all the universities and research centers located in one place. It is composed of a number of research centers, branch campuses of world-class educational institutions, and the Qatar Science & Technology Park, a free zone that will house technology-based companies and entrepreneurs, as well as acts as an incubator for research responding to industrial needs.

In total, the Education City development will eventually contain more than 30 buildings, including a museum, a conference and an exhibition center, sports facilities, a shopping center, a mosque, as well as residential and recreation facilities for students and staff. It is already home to the Qatar Foundation’s headquarters and to one of its most ambitious projects, the Sidra Medical and Research Center.

With a $7.9 billion endowment, the largest known to be granted to any academic medical and research facility anywhere in the world, Sidra aims to reach the highest standards in patient care, medical training and research.

BILLIONS IN INVESTMENT, EXTRAORDINARY RETURNS “I have been honoured twice in the last 15 years.

The first time was when I was invited to join a very small team which led the QF’s development, and the second time when I was asked to become the President of Qatar Foundation,” said Saoud.

It is not surprising to hear Saoud´s words, as this is the essence of a dream turning into reality. In line

Qatar 2009 | 19

with the program of expanding education facilities in Qatar, the budgeted allocation for education and youth welfare has increased rapidly in recent years. It has risen from $115 million in 2002 to $500 million in 2005, to $1.5 billion last year.

Relatively unaffected by the global financial crisis, the government has earmarked 21% of the 2009 budget for education, or around $5.4 billion. With such money behind it, Education City has attracted some of the best universities in North America, and is also a unique piece of art, with each university designed by renowned architects.

Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar offers a six year integrated program consisting of a two year pre-medical studies and a four year medical program, leading to the Cornell M.D. degree, as awarded by the U.S. campus.

Other subjects are covered by the Virginia Commonwealth University, Texas A&M, Carnegie Mellon and the Georgetown School of Foreign Service. North Western University is to open a School of Journalism and Communication, while the Canadian College of the North Atlantic is also present in Qatar, yet not inside Education City.

“The uniqueness of this project is that the programs here are delivered at the same quality standards as they are on the main campus of the parent organization. And when the students graduate they receive a diploma which is identical to that of Georgetown or Cornell,” added Dr. Saoud.

Allison Vanstone, Dean of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Qatar, considers the Education City a pioneering project that will set a benchmark worldwide.

“This kind of experiment in higher education hadn’t been done in any part of the world, selecting top college programs from individual universities and putting them together in one spot, where a student who is taking any of the distinctive programs in one top university can take other classes in another university. Nowhere in the world had that happened before,” said Vanstone.

Only in Doha is it possible to find such prestigious

20 | Qatar 2009

WCMCQ

Dr. Mohammad Fathy Saoud, President and Member of the Board of Directors Qatar Foundation

Adrian Hadda

B'CLEVER

universities so close to each other. Like those in Washington DC, students at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Qatar) complete a challenging four-year curriculum that builds on Georgetown’s traditions of service, cross-cultural understanding and educating citizen leaders.

Students at the Qatar campus will be lectured in international politics, government, economics, literature, philosophy, and theology, with the program designed to prepare graduates for positions in a wide variety of fields in the international arena, including diplomacy.

A short walk away from the Georgetown campus, students are being trained to be among the best engineers in the region at Texas A&M University of Qatar (TAMUQ).

Texas A&M’s engineering programs are routinely ranked among the best in the USA, and graduates are highly sought after to provide leadership and innovative solutions to global challenges.

While Education City is not only a hub for higher education, it also hopes to foster relations between academia and the wider world of commerce and industry in the GCC, such as through the RAND-Qatar Policy Institute and Qatar National Research Fund.

“In the beginning we thought about bringing only one university to do these programs but we discovered that there is no one university that can be the best, so we started looking for a program in a university. That’s why we have six universities campuses in Education City.

Then we started thinking that we cannot apply this only in universities. We have to start it at the Grade 12 level. That is why Education City has programs for undergraduates, graduates, and post graduates, and then research and development departments,” said Saoud.

Through Education City, the Foundation has been

21% of the 2009 budget is for education, around $5.4 billion

B'CLEVER the driving force behind the country’s commitment to education and aim of becoming one of the most developed knowledge-based societies.

To do so, the government has allocated 2.8% of its GDP to fund research in Qatar. With Qatar’s GDP reaching some $90 billion and the total population of the country over one million, this is a significant amount, far higher than the European Union average for research at 1.8% of GDP. “Research is the best way of creating knowledge,” said Dr Abdelali Haoudi, Vice President of the Qatar Foundation. “It’s only through research labs and programs that you can afford or hope to create new knowledge, new discoveries, and new technologies that can be applied later on to different sectors: healthcare, energy, and the environment. These are priorities in research for the QF, and we have a strong interest and need to develop such programs.”

As Sheikha Mozah put it, “Education City originated from the concept that education is the key to a nation’s future. Qatar has been blessed with many natural resources, but none as vital as our people.

The universities and projects that populate Education City are therefore essential building blocks for us. We have brought leading degree programs in engineering, business administration, computer science, design, foreign service, and medicine - all disciplines that are critical to our ability to sustain the many advances we are making. And there are more universities to come.”

With all these changes and facilities in place, it should not come as a surprise to hear that in the near future many more renowned intellectuals and scientists are destined to work and carry out research in Qatar.

“It is a tremendous investment in the people of Qatar and the region, positioning Qatar as a recognized leader in international cooperation and cross-cultural understanding,” said Saoud.

Education City originated from the concept that education is the key to a nation’s future

QATARI’S CHOICE Fahad Mutlaq Al-Otaibi is part of the new generation of Qataris. He works as a helicopter pilot, runs a car rental business, is currently designing a website for small and medium sized enterprises, and still he studies at Carnegie Mellon.

Al-Otaibi, 30, graduated from the Jassim bin Hamad high school in 2002, and continued his studies at Qatar Aeronautical College. From that he flew off to Australia where he earned his flying license before concluding his aviation studies in Texas.

Dressed in the typical Qatari costume of a white

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flowing jallaba, or robe, Al-Otaibi is a global citizen and a young Qatari with an entrepreneurial soul. “I want to grow my business the right way and I want other Qataris to do the same. No matter how busy you can get in your job you can always find the time and strengths to start a small business and make it succeed, if you take a good care of it and have the right tools. It is really good fun to run a business but it is also quite a challenge,” he said.

Today, as he works as a helicopter pilot for Gulf Helicopters, Al-Otaibi runs his own rental car successful business and has achieved alliances with renowned players in the market. Explore Car Rental offers long and short-term rental cars to individuals and companies.

And while developing his business, Al-Otaibi is utilizing the advantages his country is offering him. “I’m always searching for courses related to entrepreneurship on the web and that’s how I found out about this particular course at Carnegie Mellon University.”

The Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar offers three academic programs at its Qatar Foundation campus under the umbrella of Business Administration, Computer Science, and Information Systems.

Al-Otaibi’s´s application and later acceptance for a scholarship at Carnegie Mellon may very well have changed his future. “It was only later that I found out how important this is and how much good it will do to my business”, he said.

Students are offered financial aid if they meet the educational requirements but cannot afford the fees.

“Admission requirements are based on any student who

can meet our standards regardless of whether he or she can afford to pay,” said Dr. Saoud. “We have to provide programs and scholarships because we believe that diversity will add to the experience of our students.”

Al-Otaibi could have done well with such facilities when he was younger. “I started with two cars which I took a loan for, and I actually started renting cars before I even had office,” he said. A short while later Al-Otaibi had opened his own office and started to expand his fleet.

“That was a really small start, as you can see nothing fancy but that made me learn a lot about business on an everyday basis. Now, Explore Car Rental has become a well known name in the car rental industry in Qatar and we have been dealing with very high profile companies,” said Al-Otaibi.

Given that Al-Otaibi belongs to a slightly older generation, when the opportunities available to him were not even half of what there are today, in the near future we might start to hear Qatari names being associated with high level education, sports and science.

However, Education City is still young, with the first batch of students only graduating as recently as 2006.

But with leading educational institutes based there and the possibility of getting an Ivy League education in the Gulf, the City has already gained a solid reputation and attracts students from around the world.

REVERSING THE BRAIN DRAIN

Qatar Foundation

Fahad Al-Otaibi is one of the bright minds that came back to his home country after leaving to study abroad,

but this has not been the case for many Arab students over the past several decades. With Qatar now offering its citizens the opportunity, infrastructure and budget to study at Education City, Qataris have a stronger motivation to stay and participate in the country’s booming economy.

“This is another major objective of Education City.

The region used to suffer a lot from what we call the ‘Green Dream’. Some of the best talents, coming from the Gulf region, Morocco, Algeria, Sudan, Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon used to leave the region and go to the United States or Europe. We are now trying to reverse this. And that’s why Her Highness launched an initiative more than three years ago to try and bring back all the Arabs who left the region and now are working at Harvard, MIT and so on,” said Dr. Saoud.

“Such a policy also takes long-term thinking”, said Dr. Abdelali Haoudi. “The population is estimated at 1.5 million and I would say less than 25% of them are Qatari.

Now take that number, how many of them are really graduating from high school? So you see that the portion will get smaller and smaller. If you get education to the first level, it is not sufficient to cover all the ambitious research programs that you have in mind, so what do we do? We need to create programs, and we have started with high school level students and university students to develop the future scientists and researchers for the country. However, in the mean time we can’t afford to wait for years. What we have also developed is a parallel partnership with well-established institutions, like our partnership with the Education City, to launch these programs and at the same time train these kids. The Qatari kids will be the future scientists and researchers.

So it’s really two strings in parallel,” he said.

Paramount to making this a reality for Qatar is the government’s plan to phase out scholarships for study overseas.“The government wants to turn back the tendency of issuing scholarships to Qataris that wanted to pursue higher education abroad, and that is why one of our initiatives includes inviting expatriate Arab scientists in the United States, Canada and Europe for conferences, to collaborate with researchers or just as advisors,” added Dr. Saoud.

Qatar might be a small country but it’s big in its aspirations.

Sometimes you feel that you are living in a utopia

AN EARLY CONCIOUSNESS Long before oil was discovered, education in Qatar was mostly religious in nature and exclusive to the male population. Young boys learnt to recite the Qu’ran

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B'CLEVER and acquired basic Arabic literacy skills in a kuttab, or informal class, that was taught at mosques or at homes.

By 1954, Qatar had four schools with 560 male students and 26 teachers, and by 1956 one school for girls. By 2005, according to the latest census, there were 78,182 students in Qatar state schools, half of them at primary level.

Literacy levels have correspondingly soared over the years, from only 14% of the population in the 1930s to near universal literacy today.

Impressively, women’s literacy and involvement in the country’s economy and governance is much higher than in the rest of the Gulf region.

Qatar follows a policy of compulsory education with the country providing free and equal education and opportunities to all its citizens from kindergarten through to college.

The first university in Qatar was established at the beginning of the 1970’s by a decree from the Emir. By 1985 there were about 5,000 university students in Qatar, and at the end of the twentieth century over 9,000.The University of Qatar tells it this way: “Among a small population, the college admitted a respectable 57 male and 93 female students in its first year. After several semesters, rapid development of the country made it necessary to expand upon the College of Education to accommodate new areas of specialization.” When it was founded Qatar University had four colleges,

REFORMING EDUCATION, TRANSFORMING PEOPLE In 2001, Qatar started an initiative that is considered to be the cornerstone of the country’s strategy to boost education. “The implementation of the K-12 reform initiative is an integral part of the country’s comprehensive strategy to improve its education system.

There were clear areas in need of improvement, such as the need to graduate more students with the necessary skills to continue with higher education. Hence, the government commissioned an international team of experts who conducted a two-year study to evaluate the education system. The team met with stakeholders at the Ministry of Education, University of Qatar and other sectors. The team’s findings and recommendations were the basis of the comprehensive reform initiative ‘Education for a New Era,’” stated Dr Sheikha Al-Misnned, President of the University of Qatar, in an interview.

The RAND Institute was chosen to examine Qatar’s education system to recommend options for building a world-class system, and, subsequently, to develop the chosen option and support its implementation.

According to the reports, the government’s choices included internationally benchmarked curriculum standards, national testing based on those standards, independent government-funded schools, and parental

Qatar Foundation

A new biotech consortium will study the pharmaceutical uses of desert plants and the Sidra tree

Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, Sharia, Law, and Islamic Studies, and Science. A decade later engineering, business and economics were added to the curriculum. In the 1989 - 90 academic year, there were 5,637 students at the University of Qatar, which had 504 instructors, mostly Egyptians and non-Qatari Arabs.

Today the university is composed of seven colleges with the College of Pharmacy being the latest.

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Excellence. At Carnegie Mellon. + Business Administration + Computer Science + Information Systems

With more than a century of academic excellence and innovative research, Carnegie Mellon University is a global leader in education with real-world applications. Consistently top ranked, Carnegie Mellon’s core values of innovation, creativity, problem solving and collaboration provide the foundation for everything we do.

Guided by these values, Carnegie Mellon students experience a distinctive education that gives them tools to pioneer solutions through an approach that values both teamwork and leadership. The effect is both far-reaching and close to home. Its real-world impact is visible within our local communities, across the country and around the world.

At the invitation of Qatar Foundation, Carnegie Mellon joined Education City in 2004. Here, Qatar Foundation has created a world-class center for scholarship and research that is the ideal complement to Carnegie Mellon’s tradition of innovation through collaboration.

To learn more, visit www.qatar.cmu.edu.

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choice among schools using annual report cards.

The outcome was to implement gradual but deep change in the system by avoiding the difficulties other countries experienced when overhauling their educational system. Education City, a single part of the whole education system, will be the country’s educational benchmark. “This is what Education City is about, to try and bring high quality institutions to offer the best education and research, and to encourage others to reach its standards in doing so,” said Dr. Saoud.

The City has also set another standard, of co-education in university classes, a first for Qatar. Dr. Saoud is equally confident in the new model of school created by the Qatar Foundation, as “the new chapter on education is that schools will be funded by the government but are operated and managed almost autonomously, keeping in their strategy the objectives of teaching yet with a different approach.”

Indeed, there is a growing number of private primary and secondary schools in Qatar that deliver a high standard of education while benefiting from government subsidies.

YEAR 1955 1969 2002 2005 2009

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BUDGET ALLOCATION TO EDUCATION USD275 m USD6, 8 mm USD115 mm USD1.5 bn USD5.4 bn

Qatar now ranks as the third country in the world in its allocation per capita for research, only after the US and Japan. As a result many challenges lie ahead.

There are concerns about the ability the government has to execute the ever-increasing budget allocation, as there have been some delays in the construction of the sites. But one of the biggest challenges is to change the populace’s attitudes towards being dependent on the social services and welfare provisions of a benevolent state. “The seeds we are growing in this land will be tomorrow’s leaders because every thing has been thought of right from the very beginning, in our minds and in our hearts, and it has been developed with a great vision,” said Dr. Saoud.

A DEAN’S STORY “I was in the middle of China on a robotics tour when I was received a call to come and work in Qatar.” Given the magnitude of the Education City project, it is not surprising to hear stories like this.

Charles E. “Chuck” Thorpe, Ph.D., Dean of Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, was the right person for the job, even if he wasn’t in the right place. He listened carefully to his mentor Dr. Raj Reddy, Mozah Bint Nasser University Professor of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon, talk about the idea of opening a branch campus of Carnegie Mellon in Qatar, but he still couldn’t believe it. “Raj was asked to be an advisor to Qatar on how the

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country should modernize all its information computing technology. He apparently did such a good job that he was asked if he knew anybody who would like to come and set up a computer science school,” said Thorpe.

“He said Carnegie Mellon would be interested in doing such a thing, and that is how we ended up here.”

At the invitation of Qatar Foundation, Carnegie Mellon joined Education City in 2004. According to Thorpe, “it was a long period of negotiation: trying to understand exactly what they wanted from us and what we could offer. Then trying to do our best guess for five or 10 years: figuring out how big our student body would be and how many people we would we need.”

“Now, why did he pick me?” queried Thorpe. “Partly because I was at Carnegie Mellon for 25 years so I can pick up the phone, call people and they know who I am.

Also, partly because as a child I lived overseas, so I am used to living in foreign language countries and eating food that I don’t necessarily recognize.”

Thorpe is also one of the world’s leading robotics researchers and a former director of Carnegie Mellon’s prestigious Robotics Institute. He is one of the first graduates of Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science to pursue a career in robotics.

“When we came here we really didn’t know what to expect. People coming to Qatar still don’t know whether it’s going to be tents and camels or a modern downtown,” said Thorpe. “In particular, we didn’t know

what the students were going to be like. Were they going to be well educated and well prepared and open to the world, or would they be quiet and shy. We soon found out the students here are great and are of the same caliber as our students in Pittsburgh.”

Continuously top ranked and known worldwide, Carnegie Mellon offers a distinct mix of programs to its 10,000 students at campuses around the globe.

In Qatar, it offers its undergraduate programs in business administration, computer science and information systems to students in the Gulf Region.

With a century of academic excellence and innovative research, the institution is a global leader in education with real-world applications.

IT KIND OF MAKES SENSE In Qatar, the most popular undergraduate program is business administration. “It kind of makes sense because every kid growing up in Qatar has an uncle who is a business man,” said Thorpe. “We’re proud that all of the business students who graduated last year have jobs at big companies such as Shell and banks such as HSBC.” The computer science major is a little bit smaller, but Thorpe says that’s not due to the fact that it is harder.

“I think it’s because it’s a less of obvious career path,” said Thorpe. Information systems, the third major at Carnegie Mellon Qatar, launched in the fall of 2007.

This program is often referred to as the intersection of

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B'CLEVER business administration and computer science, since it combines elements of both majors.

In addition to providing undergraduate programs, Carnegie Mellon is also holding various high school outreach programs. BOTBALL high school robotics competition is a program that introduced robotics and artificial intelligence to students throughout the Middle East.

Students must design, build and program a Lego Mindstorm robot capable of competing against other schools.

Students learn math, computer programming and teamwork, and they learn about the many career paths that exist in the technical fields.

The university also offers tailored executive education programs for companies such as Qatargas.

Additionally, Carnegie Mellon has partnered with Qatar Science & Technology Park to offer the Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program. This program gives businessmen and businesswomen the tools needed to commercialize technology and take their business ideas to the market. The courses, which are taught by Carnegie Mellon professors and experienced entrepreneurs, have attracted students from all over the

BE AT EDUCATION CITY Thorpe is very clear about the most interesting aspect of Education City: the mixing of cultures and people.

Qatar Foundation has very active student affairs groups and a cross-registration policy that provide opportunities for students from all of the branch campuses to come together both in and out of the classroom. Students can battled each other on the football pitch, then work together in the same classroom.

“All of the students at Education City can come and take computer science class at Carnegie Mellon; go hear a distinguished lecture by Madeline Albright at Georgetown; go over to Texas A&M to learn about engineering; play soccer with students at Cornell; or take a class in jewellery design at VCU. It’s an education you can’t get anywhere else in the world,” said Thorpe.

Students enrolled in the undergraduate programs at Carnegie Mellon are from 30 different countries: 40% are Qatari, 20% are from overseas and live in the dorms, and the rest are foreigners living in Qatar. “Qatar

WCMC

It’s challenging to establish a medical school with the standards of Cornell University several thousand miles away

region, and has spurred many start-up companies.

“Everybody in Qatar has a construction company, a car wash, an import/export company, but it’s not based on knowledge of the economy. It’s not coming up with intellectual property, writing a business plan, going for venture capital, and growing the company rapidly,” he explained. “Programs such as the CIEP provide those skills and contribute to Qatar’s vision of a knowledgebased economy.”

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B'CLEVER is our largest nationality followed by Egyptians, Indians, Pakistanis, Lebanese, Syrians, and people from the Emirates, Canada and the U.S.,” he said.

The faculty and staff are equally as diverse, and are proud to be at the forefront of such an unusual educational endeavour. “At the end of our first year, every professor who signed up for one year came and asked to extend. At the end of three years, every professor who signed up also came and asked to extend,” Thorpe added.

“This says two things. First, it says that we take good care of our faculty and our staff. However, it also says that what we have here is a very significant mission.

Our people have caught the vision of Sheikha Mozah to really do something important.”

Although Carnegie Mellon doesn’t seem to have problems recruiting staff, many Westerners still do not understand Qatar and the Gulf Region. “Qatar is pretty much in the middle of the Arab World but it is a bridge country. It is very Arab and very open to the West at the same time. To tell you the truth, I like it that way,” said Thorpe.

“If you go to Dubai you can’t tell that you are in the Arab world. You might as well be in Las Vegas. I rather be in Doha, where you can go walk on the Corniche and have Qataris walk with you and eat with you in restaurants. You feel you are part of the society in a way you don’t feel in Dubai. We are in the middle of an Arab renaissance. History started in this part of the world and then shifted to the Western world. We have a chance to get back and rediscover the ancient centers of learning, and build a new center of learning here in Qatar.”

ENGINEERING THE FUTURE Texas A&M University is probably one of the most needed universities in Qatar as the burgeoning oil- and natural gas-based economies of the Gulf require a regular supply of highly skilled, highly educated engineers.

Before it opened its campus in 2003 at Education City, the engineers who make the energy economies possible were trained elsewhere and the region has long lacked sufficient engineering programs.

The program was greeted by a rapid influx of students from outside Qatar, and today almost half the students in the program are from beyond this country’s borders. The shortage is apparent also in the ease with which newly graduated petroleum engineers find high-paying jobs.

An informal survey by Time Magazine reports starting salaries of $70,000 to $85,000 for new engineers with undergraduate degrees.

“The curriculum at Texas A&M at Qatar is taught wholly in English—most of our students speak English

A KNOWLEDGE LABORATORY Under the close scrutiny of its chairperson, Sheikha Mozah, and following the same vision towards a knowledge-based economy, the Qatar Science and Technology Park is the natural link of Education City and the buoyant industry of Qatar.

Established in 1995 by the Emir, the Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) acts as an incubator for the best projects that come out of the universities located next door at Education City.

At the same time, QSTP is home and interacts with some of the most prestigious companies of the world that are increasingly opening up in Doha.

The country’s latest mobile phone operator, Vodafone, has a presence at the park while the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) has

30 | Qatar 2009

opened the EADS Competence Center of Qatar (EADS CCQ) that will specialize in aeronautic maintenance activities and research and development.

Researchers from Qatar and Italian company Biogem will also be soon working together as a new biotech consortium that will study the pharmaceutical uses of desert plants and the Sidra tree, the symbol of the Qatar Foundation.

This evergreen tree is mentioned in the Quran as a representation of knowledge of the divine. It cites the Sidra as a shady haven for scholars, a source for traditional medicine and a symbol of life in the desert.The Sidra tree is also featured in the design of the Convention Center. Also located at Education City, the building is a

giant steel structure that resembles the branches of a Sidra tree and supports the building’s exterior ‘canopy’.

QSTP features two main structures. The Innovation Center is a ready to use office

QSTP

as a second or third language. Students need not only advanced mathematical skills—they also must demonstrate literacy and facility with the English language”.

Texas A&M has the most comprehensive engineering school in the country and the region, with a program that is virtually alone in committing full-time resources to the challenge of building an engineering workforce and infrastructure in Qatar.

Today, half of their engineering student body is from outside Qatar.

“We strive to transfer not just the educational program but the overall educational experience itself.

In addition, we plan to promote engineering as a career to high school students through “Engineering Day” events at schools and by hosting on-campus events such as math Olympiads and science competitions to promote interest in the classes and disciplines that prepare students for engineering coursework. We

HEALTH FIRST, BUT ALSO RESEARCH Having health as a pillar of the country’s vision alongside education has allowed Qatar to attract one of the world´s most prestigious universities for medical studies, the Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q). Cornell is the first American University to offer its M.D. degree overseas. The same standards of education and research apply equally in New York and Qatar.

“I came to Qatar after 37 years of work at WCMC in New York to be the founding dean of this branch campus, which I thought was a wonderful opportunity because no one had done this before. I had been preparing for this particular job my entire life. It was a different model with complete autonomy that would allow me to create, implement, and run a medical school,” said Dr Daniel

create their own facilities, such as for international oil companies.

In 2003, Shell became one of the Anchor Tenants, pledging to spend $100 million over a 10-year period. In addition, EADS, ExxonMobil, GE, Microsoft, Total, RollsRoyce and iHorizons have committed

QSTP

building that acts as the main courtyard while also serving as a business incubator for start-up companies to which all services are provided. The second structure, the Tech Center, will provide larger spaces to companies that have the purchasing power to

also are working toward the establishment of a Qatar Engineering Association, which will build personal and professional connections among local engineers, provide new ways to reach out to potential students, and raise both the profile and prestige of Qatari engineers.”, says Dr. Mark H. Weichold, dean and CEO of Texas A&M University in Qatar.

The Texas A&M Engineering Building, which opened in June 2007, comprises 55,000 square meters (595,000 square feet) of functional space. It houses three lecture halls, 10 classrooms, 30 teaching laboratories and 32 research laboratories.

The labs are fully equipped with advanced analytical and measurement tools and computational resources, and are fully staffed by technicians, post-doctoral researchers and graduate students.

$225 million in investment at QSTP. With state-of-the-art facilities, the QF has invested around $600 million in the first phase of the buildings, which will provide the offices and laboratories specifically designed for the technology-based companies. The new tenants at QSTP will not only have access to the region’s leading research universities and their highly educated graduates, but can also lease office space at commercial property rental prices in Doha. In addition, the QSTP has a free zone status, allowing foreign companies 100% ownership at zero taxation.

Companies can also benefit from the funding programs the QSTP offers, such as the $12 million Proof of Concept Fund and the $30 million New Enterprise Fund, which have been designated to boost innovation and entrepreneurship.

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Alonso, former and first Dean of WCMC-Q. Dr Alonso is no longer Dean and retired at the end of 2008 to become Dean Emeritus. The new incumbent is Dr Javaid Sheikh who became Interim Dean and Vice Dean for Research with effect from 1 January 2009.

Situated at the heart of Education City in superb facilities provided by the Qatar Foundation, Weill Cornell

Medical College in Qatar has achieved some notable firsts as a pioneering medical college and a co-educational higher learning institution. WCMC-Q offers a six-year integrated program of studies divided into a two-year pre-medical program and a four-year medical program, leading to a Cornell University medical degree.

“It’s challenging to establish a medical school with

CNA-Qatar: The Outside Winner In just over a decade the Emir has turned Qatar into a regional hub for education by attracting top universities from North America to the country.

One such institution of higher learning is Canada’s College of the North Atlantic-Qatar (CNA-Q), established with the objective of providing specialized education in engineering technology, ICT, business studies, and health sciences.

The College of the North Atlantic in Newfoundland, Canada, entered into a 10-year agreement with the State of Qatar to develop a comprehensive College of Technology in 2001.

Although located outside Education City, CNA is also part of the education cluster created in Qatar.

“We have grown to become this country’s second largest postsecondary educational institute and offer our students the very highest Canadian standards in education and technical training,” said Dr.

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Harald Jorch, President of CNA-Q. “This unique, hands-on educational experience goes beyond any textbook.

Our faculty bring their years of experience, training and passion for teaching to the classroom and share it with their students,” he added.

Incorporating the very best practices of Canadian technical education and input from Business Advisory Committees and Industry Focus groups, CNA-Q’s programs are focused on preparing students for the working environment by attaining the relevant skills.

The results are impressive: the College’s campus consists of more than 75,000 square meters in 21 buildings, all linked by courtyards and walkways.

There are 2,000 students (80% are Qatari nationals), and the campus, built to cater to 3,000 students, features state-of-the-art computer systems, industrial workshops and laboratories.

Each program area, including Engineering Technology, Health

Sciences, Information Technology, Business and a Security Academy, have dedicated buildings to accommodate their own classes, labs and equipment.

This is reflected in the make-up of the student body, with approximately 80% of students sponsored by government agencies and private companies. An extensive network of public and private alliances also contributes to CNA-Q’s program development.

In ICT for instance, blue chip companies Sun Microsystems, Silicon Graphics and Qatar Telecom (Qtel) regularly review programs to ensure they meet industry standards, employer expectations and the challenges of the global marketplace. In Health Sciences, programs are carried out in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Hamad Medical Corporation, playing a significant role in Qatar’s quest to provide the best healthcare in the world to its population.

Such programs are also designed to

the standards of Cornell University and the American standards of education and research several thousands miles away,” said Dr. Alonso.

WCMC-Q, whose medical education is recognized as the best in the region, graduated its first 15 medical students in 2008. Those young men and women are the first and only doctors trained in Qatar. Members of the inaugural class were diverse, hailing from Qatar and other countries, including India, Palestine, Bosnia and the U.S. “Every country has medical schools, but not like this one. The use of the technology we have and the way we teach make us unique. “We use a combination of lectures from our resident faculty based in Doha, visiting faculty who come to Qatar from New York and Ithaca and video streaming and conferencing in a wireless Apple Macintosh IT environment”, explained Alonso. Looking ahead, WCMC-Q will work with the Qatar Foundation to roll out the Sidra Medical and Research Center.

A HEALING BUILDING

technologies. You have probably never heard of such a hospital because it doesn’t exist, not until the Sidra Hospital and Research Center opens its doors in 2011 at Qatar Foundation´s Education city.

Designed by Cesar Pelli, the famous Argentinean architect that designed the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and the World Financial Center in Manhattan, the hospital’s first stage will cater to women and children.

“The scope and breadth of the project is visionary: a full, academic medical center based on the best international health facilities,” said Sidra’s Executive Project Director Daniel Bergin. “It is a very ambitious project and offers our project team and future employees a once in a lifetime opportunity to be engaged in one of this region’s boldest health care projects.”

The biggest opportunity may well be for those studying at Weill Cornell Medical College, with programs to be taught at Sidra but also allowing access to the Biomedical

You have probably never heard of a steel, glass and ceramic tiled hospital that has indoor healing gardens to aid recovery amid an alldigital medical facility that is virtually paperless and uses advanced

meet Canada’s rigorous accreditation standards, while still recognizing and respecting local culture and tradition.

And as CNA-Q is a campus of its Canadian parent, graduates have the option of pursuing further studies at the degree level by transferring to selected Canadian universities.

Since its establishment in 2002, housed in its own campus in the capital, Doha, the college continues to expand and attract students from around the Middle East and the world. June this year saw the largest graduating class to date with 300 students receiving their diplomas in one of 27 program areas.

The CNA-Q works closely with over 20 sponsors from Qatari companies and organizations in the governmental and private sectors to sponsor new high school graduates or their own employees in a CNA-Q program area. This is particularly important said Jorch as it “helps to make the education the graduates receive relevant to the local industry.”

Over the past year, CNA-Q has continued to expand its facilities,

opening a Business Service Center, TERCO laboratory, and the Oil and Gas Training Center, the best training facility of its kind in the region. Another recent addition to CNA-Q‘s education programs is the Security Academy, which offers courses from the Australian TAFE vocational curriculum, Risk and threat assessments, Investigations, Command Center operations and Emergency management.

“CNA-Q has grown and expanded to meet this country’s call for a comprehensive, technical educational institute. We are fully committed to carrying that vision forward by developing more strategic partnerships, broadening our curriculum and working closely with government and industry to develop training programs that meet their diverse needs,” said Jorch.

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B'CLEVER Research Center, which will be developed through external collaboration with leading research institutions.

Meanwhile, the Qatar Foundation has already embarked on research into diabetes and cancer due to the high incidence levels in the Gulf. “We might have some genetic factors there, but research will prove it. For instance diabetes, we have a 25 % higher rate than Europe and the US. There must be something about it and it needs to be studied, and it can only be studied through research programs,” said Haoudi, vicepresident of Research of QF. “Now why we are investing in biotechnology? Of course biomedical research is the basic science, the fundamental research behind it, but you need to go outside the lab and you want patients to benefit from it. Therefore you want technological development and that can happen through the biotechnology programs. If that bright idea comes from a university it can be then further developed, maybe into a product.”

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

VCU

After a three-day official visit to Doha, the Polish first lady declared that the country made her “feel like Alice in Wonderland”. Although it might sound an exaggeration, a similar feeling embraces those who have the chance to witness what this resource rich country is doing with its immense wealth. Far from being spent exclusively oil and gas or real estate projects, much is being assigned to create ambitious projects in the fields of science and education.

One of the finest examples is the Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), an institution established by the Qatar Foundation in 2006 to provide financial support to scientists who develop competitive and original research in the fields of medicine, engineering and technology, physical and life sciences, humanities, or social sciences and the arts.

With the grants ranging from $20,000 to $350,000 per year, and up to three years, the fund has attracted

the interest of over 50 countries. But this is not money for nothing, and scientists given grants will have to do something in exchange: bring their knowledge to Qatar.

“We need to build human capital and research inside Qatar, so we want the renowned scientists from all over the world to collaborate with their partners in Qatar. The overall efforts of any particular research project should be at least 50% spent in Qatar,” said QNRF Director Dr. Abdul Sattar Al-Taie.

The institution represents a big step towards the progress of science in the world, as it will be financing international projects from which not only Qatar but the rest of the world can gain by.“The benefits will eventually prevail for everybody. Qatar will hopefully benefit from commercialization and will have certain revenue sharing in that. Through this mechanism we will build the knowledge-based economy. We start with the education of the people: you encourage the contact research, we will have research products, and some of them will reach commercialization,” added Sattar Al-Taie.

The fund has drawn the attention of scientists worldwide with the number of letters of intent the QNRF has received increasing 220% in just two years. “Qatar is an attractive environment. It is moving more in the direction of ‘brain gain’ rather than ‘brain drain,’ as we are not losing citizens because they have the best opportunities inside their country. Qatar is second in the world in attracting scientists,” said Dr. Sattar Al-Taie.

QNRF plays a vital role in the development of Qatar’s knowledge-based economy: by providing financial support to researchers at all levels, from students to professionals in the private and public sectors, they seek to advance knowledge and education on a national, regional and international scale.

“Qatar might be a small country but it’s big in its aspirations. Sometimes you feel that you are living in a utopia,” said Dr. Sattar Al-Taie.

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Q

atar has a vision to turn the country into a knowledge-based economy. With the Internet and telecommunications paramount to making this a reality, Qatar is liberalizing the sector and adding the ‘e’ for electronic prefix to numerous initiatives, from e-government and e-health, to e-education and e-literacy.

In our hyper-connected world of cheap telecommunications and high-speed Internet access, Qatar doesn’t want to remain on standby while others power ahead. But with the forward thinking that is evident across the board in Qatar, ICT has a prominent place in the Emir’s vision for the country to ensure that Qatar remains more than just well-connected.

Central to the development of the sector is the Supreme

36 | Qatar 2009

Council of Information and Communications Technology (ictQATAR), established by HH the Emir in 2004.

Under its guidance numerous technological programs have been initiated that have seen Qatar fly up the ranks of most networked economies in the world. Last year, the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Information Technology Report ranked Qatar as the 32nd most networked economy out of 127 countries, up from 36th

The Supreme Council of Information and Communications Technology (ictQATAR), established

by HH the Emir in 2004. Under its guidance numerous technological programs have been initiated that have seen Qatar fly up the ranks of most networked economies in the

Georgetown (SFS - Qatar for Fitch)

world

position in the previous report. Out of all the GCC countries, Qatar and the UAE were the only ones in the top 35.

How far Qatar has come was also reflected in ictQATAR’s contribution to the WEF report, with a chapter focusing on how it is driving the country’s ICT strategy and leveraging technology to create a knowledgebased economy. As Dr Hessa al Jaber, Secretary General of ictQATAR, said: “I am proud of what the team has accomplished. When we opened the doors in 2005, five people made up the entire staff. Now, 170 experts are on the team. Their work has helped us achieve this ranking – a spot that squarely places Qatar as a regional leader. And we’re not stopping there. Business Monitor International recently projected Qatar’s IT market to grow to a value of around $550 million by 2012 as ICT continues to underpin the government’s initiatives to improve life for those who live and work in Qatar.”

The institution has also been paramount to liberalizing the telecommunications sector, with the recent decision to license a second mobile provider in the market, ending the monopoly held by Qatar Telecom (Qtel). As regulator, it granted the second

mobile licences to the Vodafone and Qatar Foundation Consortium, with Vodafone Europe BV holding a 51% stake and the Qatar Foundation 49%. The consortium holds 45% of the overall share capital of Vodafone Qatar, while government institutions will have 15%, and the remaining 40% will be offered through an IPO to Qatari nationals on the Doha Securities Market (DSM).

“Qatar’s economy needs an open telecommunications marketplace where business and individual consumers benefit from high service quality, competitive prices, excellent customer service, and innovative products,” said al Jaber. “One of our priorities since its earliest days has been liberalizing Qatar’s telecoms sector through an open and ordered process. In 2007, they reached this goal when we ended the country’s telecommunications monopoly.

When the liberalization process began, ictQATAR held a public consultation on the licensing process. Seventeen mobile providers from throughout the world expressed interest in competing in Qatar’s market. The regulatory staff evaluated the companies to determine they met specific technical, financial, and operational criteria before the final list of renowned providers competed against one another in a public auction. A similar process is underway for the awarding of a second fixed line license,” she added.

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERS The granting of a second mobile licence to the Vodafone and the Qatar Foundation Consortium ended Qatar Telecom’s dominance as the monopoly operator in the country.

Qatar 2009 | 37

B'CONNECTED

Dr. Hessa al Jaber, Secretary General of ICT Qatar

Last year, economic reforms began to open up the telecommunications industry to foreign investment for the first time in the Gulf state. Registered as an Article (68) Qatari shareholding company, Vodafone and Qatar Foundation beat off rivals AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications Inc. for the licence, paying $2.1 billion, according to Bloomberg.

Although Vodafone is well established internationally, this is the company’s first incursion into the Gulf region, and is banking on the country’s growing population. “The most recent population figure stands at 1.5 million compared to 900,000 four years ago. Most of these people are not Qataris but from abroad. They could be from Lebanon, India, Egypt, Australia or Spain, and we are in most of those countries so all of a sudden it makes it so much easier for people to talk to their families at home,” said Grahamee Maher, Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone Qatar.

For Maher, being a company with global recognition helped Vodafone’s bid to win the license in 2008.

“I think the fact that we are global company is very important, being able to actually bring global credibility and knowledge to Qatar, and secondly to help people in Qatar be connected to the world through our global structure. Being global was part of the reason we won,”

Qatar’s IT market is to grow to $550 million by 2012

38 | Qatar 2009

affirmed Maher.

Vodafone has a 51% controlling stake in the company, but it has been required to complete an IPO of 40% of the share capital on the DSM. The IPO, which will be available for Qatari national individuals only, is expected to take place in March 2009. “We are currently waiting for a decision from the Qatar Financial Markets Authority on the timing of the IPO,” said Maher.

Working towards launching its mobile commercial services during the first quarter of 2009, the global mobile operator expects to “make a world of difference for people in Qatar, by aiming to become the number one brand in Qatar in three years.”

A native Australian, Maher has worked in many different countries, although this is his first experience in the Middle East. “It is very interesting and quite fascinating as to what is happening here. This is different to any other place I have worked and I am amazed at the ambition of the country and what they are trying to do,” he said.

Maher is now overseeing Vodafone’s rollout in Qatar and ensuring that their goals are in line with those of the Emir. “We are using the internationally renowned brand and services of Vodafone, but with a partnership from the Qatar Foundation who wants to develop and grow the country in terms of education but also communication.”

Their joint venture with the Qatar Foundation serves to carry out the vision of the country. “Vodafone plans to use our technologies for all the things they want to do in education, also for social services. And as we grow the business, we will make money to create a funding

B'CONNECTED environment to continue to be able to invest in the country,” he said. Vodafone has a licence for mobile and fixed networks, and will be rolling out both in the coming years.

Working in the Middle East differs to the other regions where Vodafone is already established, but Maher doesn’t expect major complications “We must follow the country’s rules as we do in every country, particularly surrounding any censorship issues. We have dealt with this already, for example in Australia there is strong Internet censorship rules or in China where our business rules are different due to political reasons. Here there are certain censorship rules that are different to other countries, such as things are not acceptable on TV.”

MOBILISING NETWORKS

QSTP

The entrance of additional telecommunications providers is expected to be a boon for consumers. For Qtel however, which built up a subscriber base from 482,000 mobile customers in 2004 to 1.1 million by 2007, and took mobile phone penetration to 170%, the decision will undoubtedly eat into domestic profits, which accounted for 66% of 2007’s profits of QR549.6 million. But Qtel has not been sitting back in trepidation

40 | Qatar 2009

of the day its monopoly is over. The company is now the fifth-largest mobile phone operator in the Middle East, with a market capitalization of $7.9 billion.

Qtel has achieved this by embarking on an expansion plan to become one of the world’s top 20 telecom companies by 2020. It is well on its way to doing so, now present in 16 countries with a customer base of 44 million, and expected to surpass $4 billion in EBITDA well before 2010.

Driving such growth was the entrance into the Omani market in 2005 through a joint venture with Nawras that secured a 42% market share. This was followed in 2006

by Qtel acquiring Bavlink and securing a partnership with AT&T to offer advance services for corporations in the Middle East.

In 2007, Qtel picked up a minority stake in AMH, which had controlling stakes in the number two operators in Singapore and Indonesia, and soon entered the Cambodian and Laotian markets. Next came the acquisition of a 51% stake in Wataniya in Kuwait, and a stake in Asiacell, the number two mobile phone operator in Iraq. Qtel also acquired a controlling stake in WiTribe, a Wimax operator in partnership with Clearwire, the leading Wimax operator globally, that recently expanded into Pakistan and Jordan.

Such diverse international growth took Qtel to 15 million subscribers by the end of 2007. But it was the purchase of a 40.8% stake in Indonesia’s PT Indosat for QR 6.4 billion that saw Qtel’s customer base surge to 44 million. It is perhaps no surprise that Credit Suisse First Boston sighted Qtel as one of the top five stocks in any industry to invest in the Middle East.

Indeed, with domestic competition just around the corner, Qtel has invested heavily to stay at the forefront of telecommunications, being the first provider in the Gulf to introduce GSM, IPTV and advanced IP corporate services. And this year, Qtel launched Mozaic, the most advanced entertainment platform in the Middle East.

NETWORKING HEALTH, WIRED EDUCATION While the telecommunications sector has developed by leaps and bounds, so has access to the Internet, with broadband penetration at 50% and DSL penetration at 36%, a figure Arab Advisors Group expects to reach 56% by 2012.

IctQatar has helped to drive such growth as part of its plan to develop a knowledge-based economy and implement e-government. Projects are also being initiated for the public, primarily in the educational and healthcare fields.

The institution has partnered with the National Health Authority and Hamad Medical Corporation to develop an integrated national health information platform. “This platform – including a secure electronic health record – will revolutionize how healthcare is delivered,” said Al Jaber. “Quick, accurate and up-todate medical records and information will be available at the point of care. The result will be better patient safety and healthcare quality.”

In e-education, it established an e-learning portal that provides 4,000 free courses on various subjects, in Arabic, French and English, with full accreditation from the likes of the American Council on Education and the Project Management Institute. Furthermore,

it is collaborating with the world’s largest purveyor of computer skills certification — the non profit International Computer Driving License (ICDL). So far, 3,500 government employees are participating in training sessions to deepen their computing knowledge and skills. The technology regulator also plans to offer ICDL to private sector professionals as well as the unemployed.

At the same time, the Supreme Education Council is developing model e-schools, where students use tablet PCs customized to learning abilities and a school’s curriculum. Other initiatives are Knowledge Net, a unique three-way portal to connect students, parents and teachers in 37 middle and high schools that allows students to submit homework assignments and parents to instant message teachers. Global Gateway, a shared initiative with the British Council, allows teachers and their students to virtually collaborate with counterparts around the world.

Whether students conduct experiments, discuss global issues, or learn firsthand how people live in other countries, the initiative is making the classroom experience more innovative and lively.

Aiding ictQATAR’s roll out of such ambitious schemes is Singapore’s Infocomm Development Authority (IDA), which implemented a wide-ranging ICT program that turned the South Asian country into one of the most hyperconnected in the world.

“The collaboration with Singapore’s IDA has been fruitful. Singapore was among the first nations to understand that a vibrant, innovative ICT sector drives economic growth and global competitiveness while benefiting citizens in countless ways. IDA has collaborated with us on exciting programs that deepen and broaden how both children and adults learn,” said Al Jaber.

“IDA shares our dedication to ensuring that the benefits of ICT reach people of all ages, education, and income levels. And IDA has been part of our effort to help government better serve the public. Early this year we launched Hukoomi, a government-wide portal that allows people to access a wide range of important information and e-services anytime, anywhere. Over the next few years, IDA will work with us to add vibrant new services in e-government,” she added.

With such vision and, moreover, achievable goals, Qatar is on the way to not only have a knowledge-based economy, but also a hyper-connected one.

IctQatar has helped to drive such growth as part of its plan to develop a knowledgebased economy and implement e-government

Qatar 2009 | 41

B'M O N E Y

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atar’s financial sector has experienced unprecedented growth over the past five years, with assets, deposits and profits surging year-on-year. Lending growth alone has averaged 42% per annum in the last three years, riding on the back of the country’s $130 billion worth of projects and associated development as a new Qatar rises from the desert.

While domestic growth is fuelling the banking sector’s growth, Qatar’s plan to move away from a mono-economy dependent on energy is driving Qatar’s meteoric rise, with the aim of having 40% of the economy non-energy related by 2012. Furthermore, with a GDP that is slated to hit $100 billion by 2013, Qatar’s banking and financial services sector is surging forward as Qatar embarks on its multi-pronged strategy to develop a knowledge-based economy.

42 | Qatar 2009

As a result of such robust economic growth, new banks have opened, branches are springing up all over Doha, and international players are setting up shop at the Qatar Financial Center (QFC).

“Qatari banks continue to show strong profitability, healthy asset quality and good capital adequacy ratios,” stated global rating agency Fitch Ratings in its latest Bank Systemic Risk Report.

Fitch Ratings said what we already know. The

Also in

B’REAL

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The Sector

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Oversubscribed and Growing

46

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The Dominant Player

48

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QFC: The Financial Gate to The Gulf

banking system is not only strong but will remain bullish despite the current global crisis if it keeps its nose out of potentially volatile regional property and stock markets.

Also, the need to offset the monetary loosening implied by the region’s US dollar peg had represented a threat and there have been talks about a revaluation strategy. However, the sudden strengthening of the greenback combined with the GCC’s intention to move to a common currency has grounded such speculation.

In general, the current international credit market conditions have not had any significant impact on Qatari banks as they have maintained fairly limited risk due to the nature of the market and their international independence.

Qatar’s financial system has gradually shifted from its main traditional client, the public sector and the large corporations they used to work in partnership with, to smaller businesses and retail lending. Although this sector is still undeveloped there has been an increase in credit to the private sector as proportion of non-oil

44

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GDP has risen some 30% in the past two years.

In contrast to the countries entering a recession, the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) reassured the market by announcing a $5.3 billion plan to buy 10-20% of the banks listed capital in the Doha Stock Exchange to mitigate the impact of the global financial crisis. Even more propitious, Qatar’s banks have not been overly impacted by the turmoil in the global financial markets as they do not rely on inter-bank or international capital market funding.

It is not a surprise that the GCC’s banking system as a whole is amongst the 10 strongest in the world, according to Fitch, being one of the few regions globally where credit growth has accelerated.

And while the rest of the world struggles to cope with the economic crisis, Qatar’s 2009 budget is its biggest ever, earmarking $8.4 billion, with at least 40% to be allocated to development projects.

“Qatar will not stop or slow down its various projects due to the global crisis,” said Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad recently. “Qatar will continue its infrastructure and investment projects in spite of the global turmoil in the markets.”

Andrew Stevens, Group CEO of Commercial Bank Group of Qatar has his own predictions. “Qatar is one of the better examples where you don’t expect any letups in the ongoing developments. Plans that are already in place will continue,” he explained. “The banking sector remains strategically important and integral to the economic development and diversification of Qatar and Commercial Bank is committed to remaining at the heart of that development. As the leading private sector and

Qatar 2009 | 43

B'M O N E Y

Bank Audi sal – Qatar

Bank Audi sal – Audi Saradar Group Headquarters in down town Beirut – Lebanon

second largest commercial bank in Qatar, the bank’s strong domestic franchise coupled with the underlying strength of the Qatar economy, indicates continuing growth in the years ahead,” he reaffirmed.

SELF – ADJUSTMENT With high liquidity in Qatar, money supply growth is a key driver of inflation, which hit 14.75% in the first quarter of 2008, the highest in the world’s biggest oil-exporting region. However, given the new global economic situation and as new property is available, inflation is set to experience a sharp decline.

But with new banks and financial institution entering the market, the heightened competition is thinning the

THE SECTOR There are now 17 financial institutions in Qatar, consisting of commercial banks Qatar National Bank (QNB), the Commercial Bank, Doha Bank, Ahli Bank, the International Bank of Qatar and Al Khaliji Bank. Islamic institutions have also been established, riding high on the global demand for Islamic finance, which grew 30% last year to $500.5 billion.

And while commercial banks offer Islamic products and services, there are three dedicated Islamic banks: Qatar Islamic Bank, International Islamic, and newcomer Al Rayan Bank. Meanwhile, local branches of foreign banks include HSBC, BNP Paribas, Arab Bank, Mashreqbank, Standard Chartered Iran, United Bank, and Bank Saderat.

The banking sector’s assets have soared in recent years, from $15.382 billion in

44 | Qatar 2009

big six banks’ market share, which has dropped from the 83% of assets, 92% of loans and 88% of deposits they held in 2006.

Qatar is resultantly chock-a-block with billboards advertising new banks, products and services to entice customers to open accounts. Credit cards are also being heavily plugged, with a Central Bank domestic credit survey showing that personal borrowing has soared from 27% of $11.8 billion in 2003, to 36% of $23.8 billion by 2007, an average of $12,645 per person. Pushing such figures is Qatar’s GDP per capita, the highest in the Middle East and among the top in the world, projected to grow 23% this year to $96,484, according to Gulf Finance House.

2002 to $81.331 billion in 2007.

Deposits have likewise soared between 2002-2007, from $11.981 billion to $45.935 billion, while loans and advances have also spiked, from $9 billion to $44.162 billion, according to the Central Bank.

This is all impressive enough, but it is in the sector’s net profits that the success of Qatari banks is being judged, certainly by shareholders. The banking sector’s net profits have experienced unprecedented growth in the past five years, reaching QR 8.865 million in 2007, or 49.1%, up from 2006’s QR 1.6 billion (25.8%).

Qatari institutions have the lion’s share with $2.2 billion of the profits in 2007, which is primarily due to foreign banks not allowed to offer retail banking. As a result, Qatari banks dominate in terms of market share for loans, with the

QNB, Commercial Bank of Qatar and Qatar Islamic Bank together accounting for 65% of the market.

Commercial and Islamic banks are certainly making the most of their exclusive privilege in retail banking, with the real estate boom spurring on lending by more than 12 times in five years to $4.3 billion.

According to an Arabian Business Property Survey, Qatar ranks as the second most attractive GCC market for property investment. Qatari institutions are also bankrolling the $130 billion worth of projects currently underway in the country.

“Qatar is a pioneer in project finance in the region. In foreign currency, Qatar was the leader, going to the capital market way before other GCC countries,” said Al Malki of Al Khaliji Bank.

Pipes Plant

B'M O N E Y

With such competition, heightened by the obstacles of moving an account, banks are trying to differentiate from one another through services and brand name.

The newly established Al Khaliji Bank, for instance, has branded itself orange to make the bank stand out, eschewing the blue that has been adopted by commercial banks, and the green of Islamic banks.

“Market share comes from new growth that is happening, and from the existing market. We have identified certain areas where we can provide a service.

Most people in Qatar have moved once or twice for the right bank and we hope they find it with us – the

turnaround time, the service, and the color – bluish and dull with security at the front is not a pleasant experience,” said Tariq Al Malki, CEO of Al Khaliji Bank.

For foreign banks, not able to compete in retail, they are looking to capitalize on other market segments.

Bank Audi Qatar, part of Lebanon’s Audi-Saradar Group, is focusing on three main segments - corporate banking, private banking and capital markets, said Fady Amatoury, CEO of Bank Audi Qatar.

“Corporate banking is well developed.

Private banking and Capital markets are in the process of expanding.

Broadly speaking we can divide the Qatari market in three segments: very large and Qatari companies (QatarPetroleum, Qtel, etc.), medium size listed companies and family businesses, and retail customers. By Qatar Financial Center regulations, we are not allowed to cater to individuals whose liquid assets are less than $1 million. Thus the retail segment is out of our scope of activity. As for the first segment, they may be served rather by our mother company Bank Audi Lebanon

The real estate boom spurred on lending by more than 12 times in five years to $4.3bn

OVERSUBSCRIBED AND GROWING The Doha Securities Market (DSM) is another area that banks have utilized to expand and raise capital, with capitalization growing from $2.6 billion in 2001 to $26.6 billion by 2006, a rise of 911%. There is also talk of three global exchanges looking to bid for the DSM. Although the DSM has dropped by over 20% this year, all listed companies have benefited from huge profits, many larger than expected. “The downturn is due to psychological factors only,” said Qatar’s Prime Minister.

The massive growth of the bourse has enabled companies like the Dlala Holding Company - the first non-banking financial investment company on the DSM - to rapidly expand as well as enter the brokerage sector, with the Dlala Brokerage Company LLC and the Dlala Islamic Brokerage Company LLC. In the first half of 2008, Dlala Holding had a net profit of QR 40.1 million, up 284% on the same quarter last year, while shareholder equity

46 | Qatar 2009

reached QR 248.1 million.

“I think the government is doing all it can to make Qatar an attractive country for investors,” said Waleed Jassim Al-Mossallam, CEO of Dlala Holding.

“Looking ahead, Qatar has a very, very good future. I think we can be a leader, probably within the Middle East and North Africa region.”

The DSM has also been a start-up source for two new banks. The Al Khaliji Bank offered an IPO last year, and it was oversubscribed 2.3 times for 17% of a total paid-in capital of $989 million.

“Compared to Europe we were oversubscribed, but in Qatar undersubscribed, as usually over 20%, but we set a ceiling level as the IPO could easily have got 10 or 15 times more,” said Tariq Al Malki, CEO of Al Khaliji Bank.

The Islamic Bank Al Rayan was also oversubscribed, by six times its authorized capital base of $2.1 billion, attracting 780,000 bids and taking

stock value to $3.9 billion. In the year since opening, its retail operations have grown 300%.

“We exceeded the benchmarks from the last year, especially in corporate banking, investment products and yields,” said Adel Mustafawi, CEO of Al Rayan Bank. “In retail banking we are getting there, it is a much tougher task: more networks, human resources and branches. This second quarter we started to concentrate on retail, launching a massive number of products at our three branches.”

Al Rayan is to open a further three branches as it expands its presence in Qatar and abroad.

“We have started in Saudi Arabia, a finance mortgage company, that is step no. 1, and looking at opportunities for takeovers in the GCC. If we get an opportunity we will, and also looking at an institution that can meet our needs for expansion outside of Qatar,” said Mustafawi.

B'M O N E Y

than by Bank Audi Qatar due to the size involved, and the very thin margin applied. The interesting market for us is the medium size companies, and mainly the family businesses. The latter, as witnessed in other GCC markets, holds significant potential growth and of becoming public listed institutions,” said Amatoury.

A WELL-REGULATED SYSTEM The Qatar Central Bank and Qatari banks have been rated so highly by international credit rating companies

due to the regulatory system established in the country.

At the forefront of developing a regulatory environment is the government funded Qatar Financial Center (QFC) and QFC Authority (QFCA).

The QFC was established in 2005 to attract international financial institutions and multinational corporations to Qatar through a “best-in-class” international environment. And rather than be off-shore, as Gulf neighbours Bahrain and Dubai have favoured, the QFC is located in the heart of Doha.

THE DOMINANT PLAYER Qatar National Bank (QNB) is the country’s oldest Qatariowned commercial bank.

Beginning operations in 1964, the bank has gone on to become one of the largest in the region, and the leading institution in Qatar with 48% of the banking sector’s assets.

Jointly owned by the Qatari Investment Authority (50%) and private investors, QNB achieved a net profit of $825 million in September 2008, up 61.9% from $509 million in September 2007.

Total assets reached $40 billion, up 52.6% from $26 billion in 2007, while

48 | Qatar 2009

loans, advances and financing activities increased by 43% to $25 billion.

Deposits and Unrestricted accounts increased by 55% to $7 billion compared to $4.4 billion in September 2007.

QNB was the first Qatari bank to launch equity funds for companies listed on the Doha Securities Market (DSM), and has gained such as strong market share through its widespread presence in the country with 42 branches and offices, three mobile branches, and 11 Islamic branches. The recipient of numerous awards, including “Best Bank in Qatar” from leading international specialized financial publications, QNB has the highest credit rating among regional

banks: Moody’s Aa3, Standard and Poor’s A+, Capital Intelligence A+ and Fitch A+.

Internationally, QNB is rapidly expanding, entering five new markets last year. New locations include Oman, Kuwait, Singapore and Yemen, supplementing existing branches in London and Paris, as well as representative offices in Libya and Iran.

“We are now in 25 countries, and our plan is to take it regional and then international,” said H.E. Youssef Kamal, Minister of Finance and Chairman of QNB, which has offices in, to list a few, Algeria, the Bahamas, Switzerland, Guernsey, Jersey, France, and throughout

Such factors have enticed the likes of Bank Audi, one of the largest banks in Lebanon, to Qatar as part of an expansion plan that has taken the bank to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Abu Dhabi, Jordan, Sudan and Syria.

As Amatoury of Bank Audi Qatar said: “Qatar was our choice because of the extraordinary boom the country is experiencing and because the QFC is onshore rather than offshore. That is one reason we chose here plus the big potential, as well as the close relations between Qatar and Lebanon.”

Furthermore, the QFCA, which was closely model on London’s regulatory system and able to issue licences, allows the government to issue regulations concerning the QFC, which cover contracts, limited liability partnerships, insolvency, anti-money laundering, arbitration and data protection.

This year, the Central Bank and QFC are to merge, which will allow Qatari banks the same access to the international money markets as the foreign banks at the QFC enjoy. A single financial regulator will also be an added boon for when a GCC common currency comes into use.

Mergers among banks are not likely however, given current growth levels and expansion abroad. “At the moment banks are expanding, so I don’t think they will consolidate for the time being. Maybe if the market slows down,” said Al Malki.

Qatar’s 2009 budget is its biggest ever, earmarking $8.4 billion

the GCC. “Today the profit for most of the companies that are listed on the Doha Securities Market comes from the local market, but we are making the way for expansion, regionally and internationally, outside of the local market, and will reach a position of where at least 40% of profit comes from outside the Qatari market,” Kamal added.

As part of its expansion plan, QNB has acquired 34% of the shares of the

Salah Jaidah, CEO, QIB

THE RISE OF ISLAMIC FINANCE In Islamic finance, Qatar is rapidly becoming a global hub, with commercial banks as well as Islamic institutions offering Sharia-compliant services.

The growth of Islamic banks and services has soared in recent years, benefiting from the wider international awareness and stature of Islamic finance, particularly in Britain, with Prime Minister Gordon Brown promoting London as an Islamic financial center.

“Most European and Western institutions don’t understand how Islamic banking is structured, but I believe in time this will change,” said Mustafawi of Al Rayan Bank. “People are getting more comfortable with these products and Islamic institutions are more liquid and exposing themselves more nationally and internationally,” he added.

Jordan-based Housing Bank for Trade and Finance (HBTF) which operates in Palestine, Bahrain, Algeria, Syria, the UAE, Libya and Iraq, in addition to Jordan. QNB also signed an agreement to establish the Qatar National BankSyria with other Syrian private and public sectors institutions with a 49% share.

The London-based Ansbacher, QNB’s Wealth Management and Private Banking subsidiary, operates in Switzerland, the Channel Islands, the Bahamas, the Dubai International Financial Center and Qatar Financial Center (QFC). Ansbacher was the first financial institution to be granted a license to operate at the QFC, providing a wide range of wealth management services in Qatar and the region.

QNB offers a full range of retail,

corporate, investment, treasury, wealth management, and Islamic banking products and services for individuals, corporate institutions and government entities.

Through its affiliate, QNB Al Islami, QNB was the first commercial bank in Qatar to offer Islamic banking products and services, and is the first and only Islamic bank in the country to partner with Qatar Airways and offer cobranded credit card to its customers.

QNB Al Islami has witnessed significant growth since it began its operations in 2005, with total assets at $3.5 billion and financing activities at $1.7 billion as of September 2008. QNB has an active community support programme and sponsors various social, educational, and sports events.

Qatar 2009 | 49

B'M O N E Y In Qatar, Islamic banking couldn’t be faring better, with assets and deposits soaring at the three dedicated Islamic banks, of which Al Rayan is the latest player when it started operations in 2006.

“Islamic banking has the perfect environment for expansion in Qatar due to the country’s liberal trade, enterprise and exchange policies, as well as the booming real estate sector,” said Salah Jaidah, CEO of Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB). “Our already substantial inflows of foreign direct investment indicate that there is confidence in the country and its infrastructure.”

QIB is proving to be an energetic leader in the field and now ranks second among the world’s five largest Islamic banks. In the first half of 2008 alone, QIB’s assets grew 49.7%, rising to $7.39 billion, while profits in the first quarter were $125 million, up 69% from $74 million in the first quarter of 2007.

“We lead Qatar’s Islamic banking sector as a whole with a 53.3% share of the local Islamic banks and nearly 10% of the overall banking market,” said Jaidah. “QIB has been recognized for excellence in the industry. Fitch has recently upgraded our rating from A- to A. Our global strategy has been acknowledged on many fronts and four awards have been bestowed upon us this spring: “Best Real Estate House” and “Most Improved House” from Euromoney, and The Banker Middle East’s “Best Rebranding” and “Best Advertising Campaign,” he added.

The popularity of banking products compliant with

Islamic practices has seen QIB and the International Islamic Bank achieve the highest return on equity of any of the commercial banks. But with all the liquidity available to Islamic banks, commercial banks lack the necessary Sharia-complaint facilities to borrow from them. As a result, Islamic banks have placed significant amounts of their liquidity outside the country.

Mustafawi thinks this needs to be addressed.

“The size of transactions have been very big in Islamic finance, but recently not as high as Dubai, who have released sukuks in local currency. I believe, personally, Qatari institutions need to look at local currency sukuks as it will add value to the country as well as act as a benchmark for Qatari institutions raising money,” said Mustafawi.

Change to the Islamic financial sector is happening through commercial banks offering more Islamic services, as well as establishing Islamic branches, such as by Al Khaliji Bank.

And just as commercial banks are expanding overseas as well as moving into the Islamic financial sector, Islamic banks are looking to expand their global presence, which will give the sector a further boost.

“We have established the Arab Finance House (AFH) in Lebanon, the Asian Finance Bank (AFB) in Malaysia, the European Finance House (EFH) in the UK and QInvest in Qatar. QIB is also aggressively seeking to partner with and promote large projects all over the world and plans to open offices in Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei,” said Jaidah.

Al Rayan Bank

And just as commercial banks are expanding overseas as well as moving into the Islamic financial sector, Islamic banks are looking to expand their global presence

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B'M O N E Y íeb=cáå~åÅá~ä= d^qb=ql=qeb=dric The Qatar Financial Center (QFC) has attracted many of the world’s leading financial institutions to participate in the Gulf’s exponential economic growth.

Since the QFC was established in 2005, the center has become a destination for world class financial expertise needed to develop Qatar’s economy on the one hand, and seeking to benefit from the economic expansion in the gulf on the other.

From the 90 companies that have based themselves out of the QFC in the past three years, including the Royal Bank of Scotland, Citibank, ICBC, AXA, Morgan Stanley and State Street, the center is expecting to attract many more firms in 2009. “We anticipate by the end of this year that well over 100 firms will be operating from the QFC or will be in advanced stages of being authorized to do so,” said Stuart Pearce, CEO and Director General of the QFC Authority.

With Gulf countries jockeying for the position of regional financial hub, the QFC has adopted a unique approach to attract the best players for Qatar. “The QFC is based on a very different model to counterparts in either Dubai or Bahrain. The QFC’s primary goal is to attract leading international financial firms, as well as firms who provide services to the financial sector, to participate in the growth of Qatar and to use it as a platform for the region. It is a vital catalyst for the future of Qatar, and therefore the future of the wider region,” said Pearce.

While the standards that it sets are high, the QFC takes a very proactive approach towards firms wishing to enter the Qatari market. “The QFC provides a wide range of support and services to assist firms in establishing operations in Qatar, from data to support their business plans to assistance in the provision of premises and operational services, as well as a “concierge” service which helps their staff in getting settled in Qatar,” said Pearce.

The QFC Authority and QFC Regulatory Authority are currently based at the QFC headquarters, the QFC Tower, located near Doha’s City Center. But there are now a further 29 approved locations for QFC licensed firms in and around Doha, with rents fully aligned to the market.

There are three principal factors that set the QFC apart from other regional players. The first is that the

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QFC is a completely onshore center whose activities are fully integrated into those of the State as a whole, and its legal and regulatory structures are based on

Qatar QFC Building

best practice in financial centers, such as New York and London. Secondly, the QFC Regulatory Authority is an independent regulatory body that regulates firms that conduct financial services in or from the QFC. It has a broad range of regulatory powers to authorize, supervise and, when necessary, discipline firms and individuals.

The presence of an independent regulator and the creation of a separate judiciary has provided firms from other leading jurisdictions around the world with the confidence and reassurance they need to invest in emerging markets such as Qatar. “The third is that there is real business to be done based on substantial natural resources and a huge investment program,

ranging from infrastructure and energy-based project finance to a program of diversification and expansion of international trade for the region as a whole,” said Pearce. Such factors attracted the likes of Lebanon’s Bank Audi to the QFC. “Qatar was our choice because of the extraordinary boom the country is experiencing, and because the QFC is onshore rather than off-shore,” said Fadi Amatoury, General Manager of Bank Audi Qatar.

Other recently licensed companies include State Street, the world’s leading provider of financial services to institutional investors, Aon Qatar, a leading insurance broking and risk management consulting organization, and UBS. The QFC’s taxation policy is also a driver for the growth of the center.

There is only one category of taxable income under the QFC tax regime, with profits generally to be based on accounts, whether prepared under IFRS or other appropriate GAAP. Only local source business profits will be subject to tax. As of May this year, institutions are taxed at the internationally competitive rate of 10%.

New developments are also underway that will distinguish Qatar from its neighbours, in the shape of a unified single financial regulatory platform which will bring together the QFC Regulatory Authority as well as regulatory units of the Central Bank and the Qatar Financial Markets Authority. This is intended to bring greater transparency and predictability, as well as greater efficiency through the unification of scarce regulatory staff into one body. In tandem with this is the major investment announced by NYSE Euronext into the Doha Securities Market, which will be a significant driver for the development of Qatar’s capital markets.

The QFC Authority reports to its Board which is chaired by the Minister of Finance and Economy, and made up of senior Qatari and international businesspeople who contribute a wide range of skills and expertise to the management of the QFC Authority. The QFC Regulatory Authority also has a Board comprising a number of leading international regulatory figures and is chaired

by Phillip Thorpe (who is also CEO of the QFC Regulatory Authority). Lord Harry Woolf (previously Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales) is President of the QFC Civil and Commercial Court, and William Blair QC is Chairman of the QFC Tribunal. Both primary bodies of the QFC report to Qatar’s Council of Ministers.

“In the immediate future, the QFC Authority will be launching a new electronic platform to provide the infrastructure for the future development of the insurance and reinsurance industry in Qatar and the region, and is also establishing a Financial Training and Development Institute to strengthen Qatar’s financial workforce.

We are also partnering Bloomsbury Publishing in the creation of Qatar Finance – the Ultimate Resource, to help disseminate financial knowledge globally,” said Pearce.

More information about the QFC Authority and QFC Regulatory Authority can be found at www.qfc.com.qa

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_rfiafkd=THE KINGDOM OF TOMORROW....TODAY

T

The sheer number of real estate projects underway in Qatar can only be expected from the one of the world’s fastest growing economies.

Such year-on-year double-digit growth has turned the capital, Doha, from a sleepy coastal city into a colossal building site as the population expands on the back of economic diversification. Indeed, by 2013 the West Bay area of Doha will have 180 high-rise towers, more than double the 69 towers that dominate the skyline today.

Five times a day, the Muslim call to prayer echoes through the maze of narrow passageways of Souk Waqif, the historical center of Doha. The muezzin is now joined by the constant sound of hammer blows, drills and various machines emanating from a landscape of skyscrapers and cranes that form a new, miniature Manhattan.

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Doha’s skyline is already impressive and now rivals that of many well-known high-rise cities. Construction continues at a frenzied pace, made evident by the constant flow of steel girders being lifted by cranes and on occasion, even by helicopter.

However, it’s not just the buildings that are on the

Also in •

Four Seasons Hotel & West Bay Complex, project by Davis Langdon

rise, with Qatar’s construction industry figures growing year on year. According to figures from Qatar National Bank (QNB), the contribution of construction to the national GDP tripled from $1.8 billion in 2004 to $5 billion in 2008; it had already doubled between 2002 and 2004. Preliminary figures show that the industry grew 22% in 2007, compared to 37% growth in 2006, while 2008 was another year of strong growth with a 24% increase in GDP contribution.

And while the global credit crunch may be impacting markets around the world, the real estate sector in Qatar is weathering the storm. Recent reports suggest that in the next two years the Qatar real estate market will have more stable growth across the residential, commercial and retail sectors.

The market looks promising for established players like Asteco, a leading international property services company that has been operating in the region for over 20 years and is now the UAE’s largest property services firm.

Since they opened their offices in Qatar in 2006, Asteco has experienced continuous growth. “When I

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first arrived here it was just me, now there are over 50 of us and we could double in the next six months,” said David Oayda, the head of Asteco Qatar.

Although construction GDP only accounts for 6.3% of the total GDP, this figure rises to 14.2% when taken as a percentage of the non-oil and gas sector. Forecasts for 2008 from QNB saw these proportions rising marginally to 6.7% as a percentage of total GDP, and 14.6% of the non-oil and gas sector.

The industry is by far the largest single sector employer in Qatar, accounting for more than 25% of the work force. Pressure from a fast growing population has shifted the industry’s emphasis from offices and retail towards housing projects. The Mazaya real estate index found that in 2005 the residential sector received only 44% of investment, while by the beginning of 2009 this figure is expected to have reached 64%.

The most talked about construction projects in Qatar are the so-called mega projects. Given their scale and scope, mega-project is no misnomer. Take the Lusail project being developed by Qatari Diar, which is located just 15 km north of Doha and covering a total area of some 35 km2. This development comprises the construction of a whole new city that will eventually house 200,000 people in a self-sustaining community replete with residential, commercial, retail, resorts and entertainment zones. Lusail will include a variety of different themed areas within it, including Entertainment City and Energy City, with budgets of $3 billion and $2.6 billion respectively. The former will consist of a blend of traditional Arab hospitality and contemporary living while evoking the mystery of the region’s ancient sea

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faring tradition through references to ancient castles and forgotten kingdoms.

Energy City will be the region’s first dedicated hydrocarbon’s center, which will house the headquarters of Qatar Petroleum, international oil companies, and an oil and gas trading platform, the International Mercantile Exchange.

STRONGER THAN PRIDE Experts concede that although Qatar’s real estate sector will continue to offer promising investment opportunities in spite of the world’s financial crisis, it is inevitable that it will find similarities with the Dubai

experience, which has been badly hit by the crisis and seen a slump in the real estate sector.

Qatar, however, is downplaying the impact of the global credit crisis by continuing to boost investments.

Is Qatar different to Dubai?

“In a word, yes, it is much better,” said Ed Brooks, country director of UK-based real estate adviser DTZ. “Although you see all these construction sites being built, the difference is that Qatar has a much clearer idea about infrastructure and the need to get the infrastructure in place before the development happens, and that is something they learned from Dubai,” he added.

Qatar: Iocseatioglz Lvyvsipvt aod Spqhituicaued Ever since Qatar’s first mall opened in 1997, retail consumption has steadily risen, spurred on by the burgeoning economy and one of the highest GDP per capita levels in the world.

Boutiques and brand name department stores are resultantly opening up throughout Doha as Qatari and wealthy expatriates get a taste for luxury and the latest fashions.

“Qatar is far more sophisticated, not just in fashion but lifestyle – architecture, restaurants, and how they live. No other country in the Middle East is focusing so much on quality of life,” said Malik Awan, CEO of United Fashion, an independent Qatari retailer.

An indicator of such growing fashion consciousness was evident this year when Louis Vuitton opened in Qatar.

In its first week, sales were the fourth highest in the world for the brand, overtaking the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai.

To cater to an increasingly demanding and sophisticated populace, United Fashion (UF) is introducing luxury retail to Qatar, this year bringing Gianfranco Ferré, Christian Lacroix, Missoni, and Calvin Klein Collection to Doha. Later in

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the year UFC is to open an 8,000 square feet landmark boutique, a multi-brand flagship store on Royal Avenue.

“We will have the biggest shoe and bag salon in the Middle East, as well as the biggest cosmetics and fragrance department. Then we will have evening wear, fashionable apparel, and private shopping upstairs for our V-VIP customers,” said Awan.

Spending up to $90 million in the next two years on stores, United Fashion intends to go global, aiming for $1 billion turnover with 950 stores and 3,200 employees by 2017.

“In the high end segment you are dealing with people of almost no limit of disposable income. If you see China or India today, they are one of the biggest markets for luxury products.

This was unheard of 10 years ago, so people are moving from mid to high in all emerging markets, and where we will go to capitalize. There is a major

gap between expectations and delivery, and we will fill that gap,” said Awan.

Another Qatari company with its eye on the luxury market is Ronáutica Middle East, a partnership created between the United Development Company (UDC) and Spanish company Ronautica to manage and operate marinas in the Middle East. The company is to manage the Porto Arabia, Viva Bahriya and Costa Malaz marinas at the UDC’s $10 billion project The Pearl Qatar, bringing first class services and facilities to sailors. Sparing no expense, the marinas will be among the best in the world by not only meeting, but also exceeding international standards.

“Imagine coming here with a private yacht, you berth and have all the high end shopping centers -1.6 million square feet of retail – and 5 hotels, including two boutique hotels. There will be water taxis, entertainment for the kids, everything,” said Awan.

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For Brooks, Qatar has been far more discerning in its growth model than Dubai. “A lot of people say that Qatar is Dubai 10 years ago, which is a very bad comparison.

Culturally Qatar has maintained its identity and heritage far better than the emirates have done. Economically, Dubai might be an energy importer by 2010, relying on tourism and financial services, while Qatar has the backbone of the petrochemical business and it is diversifying into many other sectors.”

As his colleague, Nick Witty, Deputy Managing Director of DTZ in the Middle East, remarked: “In the case of Qatar, the expansion into real estate over the last few years in the local, regional and international markets has been an expression of the Qatari government’s desire to diversify its long term investments away from purely oil and gas. And together with the investments in education, health and science, the vision is proving to be really effective.”

Witty forecast that the market will suffer from over supply in the next few years but that it will be overlapped by a ”fight to quality” and a two-tier market will start to form.

This is already happening, with the likes of mega project The Pearl rising out of the sea 350 meters from the coastline. With a price tag of $10 billion, the project will house approximately 40,000 inhabitants, ranging from flats to some of the most luxurious mansions in the world. Similar to the Lusail project, the development will incorporate schools and civic facilities, making it a complete community.

In total there will be around two million square meters of international retail, restaurants and entertainment, and the island will have three marinas capable of mooring

Real estate will continue to offer promising investing opportunities

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1,000 boats. The engineering involved was a huge feat as the Pearl will be one of the world’s largest man-made islands and will add 30 kilometres to Qatar’s coast and approximately four million square meters of land. In many ways, The Pearl is a competing project to Lusail, but in other regards they are complimentary and combine to raise Qatar’s profile and serve its residents’ needs.

Amongst all these projects, Al Waab City, whose name is derived from the Arabic word for a “spacious plot of land,” is another mega development that lives up to its name. The 1.25 million square feet project will house around 8,000 people in 2,000 units, giving it one of the lowest population densities of any of Qatar’s new developments. The project also benefits from close proximity to Qatar’s world-class sports facilities. The $3.2 billion project will also have a five star hotel and over 300,000 square meters of retail and commercial space, as well as many spacious and green landscaped areas with plenty of room for children to play in a safe environment.

THE MARKET PLACE The Pearl, Lusail and Al Waab City are just three of the many vast construction and real estate developments under way in Qatar. Other projects include real estate giant Barwa’s Al Khor City, Barwa City, Al Qasar Barwa, Barwa Financial Area, Doha Barwa and the Barwa housing program. Then there is the West Bay Lagoon project, an up-market housing development built on the shore of an artificial lagoon that stretches two kilometers inland.

Dubai-based Asteco is involved in many of the major developments, from The Pearl to Lusail and West Bay. The company has become the consultancy firm of choice for many of the region’s finest real estate projects. More recently, it opened its first office in Jordan and immediately announced its engagement with the residential component of Saraya Aqaba, a luxury development on the Aqaba coast.

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“Our unique range of services in the sector brought success to the company. Asteco provides all services from sales leasing, investment sales, full property management services, extra management services and we have a research consultancy evaluations department. It is very unique to have all of those services under one umbrella and to provide them all together,” said Oayda of Asteco.

If you are still wondering who is buying all this property, Oayda can tell you. “Some 60% of our market place are local Qatari people, the other 40% are a combination of expatriates and foreign investors from Europe, North America and Asia,” he said.

The company has launched pioneering mortgage schemes for its clients in partnership with local banks.

But Asteco is not the only successful company in the burgeoning real estate sector. In 2008, Davis Langdon was, once again, named one of The Sunday Times ‘Best 100 Companies to Work For’ in the UK (being ranked 19), and in a similar award, the firm came a close second in the ”Best Places to Work in IT 2006” by Computer Weekly, having won the award in 2005.

“What is happening in this country is of an invaluable nature,” said Steven Humphrey, director of Doha’s Davis Langdon office. “It can set an example to the rest of the world by raking education, sports and health to build a whole new society in this gloomy world. No wonder Qatar has caught the interest of people, increasingly coming to visit and finally staying at their new property

Asteco is involved in many major projects from The Pearl to Lusail to West Bay

at The Pearl or Lusail.”

Humphrey has over 19 years experience in high-rise construction in places as far apart as Hong Kong and Bahrain. He has worked with the Qatari government in many projects, including the Qatar Foundation’s Education City. “Our job consists of telling the government whether an architect’s dream is, or is not, feasible and how much will it cost,” said Humphrey.

The company is part of leading global construction consultancy Davis Langdon & Seah International, providing management solutions for clients investing in infrastructure, property and construction. The firm has some 5,000 staff in some 105 offices worldwide, including over 2,100 staff in 31 offices operating in the United Kingdom, Europe and the Middle East.

Over the past few years, the firm has been involved in many high profile projects including the Bahrain Financial Harbour, Harvard Medical School, and Palm Jebel Ali in Dubai among many others.

“We are in a strong position to expand our offices and workload based upon trust and a track record born out of our rich Middle East history, the longevity of our relationships and frankly a passion to concentrate on delivering top-flight services for top-flight clients,” said Derek Johnson, Head of Davis Langdon Middle East.

Since commencing business in Iran in 1948, the company has extended its global reach to various locations across the Middle East. With a team of over 300 people, it has offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Bahrain and Beirut and a local presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The company was one of the first international construction players to come into scene when the country had just overcome the oil crisis in 1974. At that time only Chartered Quantity Surveyors were based in Qatar. Now,

The Friendship Bridge: Liokiog Qauas up uhe Gvlf One of the biggest infrastructure projects is the 45-kilometer causeway linking Qatar to Bahrain. Dubbed the “Friendship Bridge,” it will be the longest fixed link bridge in the world and cost an estimated $3 billion. The causeway will consist of dual carriage ways and a train line that will pass over 18 km of embankments in shallow waters and cover 22 km of viaducts and bridges over the high seas, including two 400 meter cable bridge which will traverse international shipping lanes.

Expected to take four years to complete, the bridge will boost travel, trade and tourism between the two countries.

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with 35 years of experience and a current team of 50, Davis Langdon is in a strong position to continue to grow their presence and reputation in Qatar.

ACCORDING TO PLAN “Everything goes according to plan,” said Youssef Kamal, Minister of Finance. And although the global storm is coming and will affect Qatar, this small country will face it far better than most. While other countries in the region are holding back their investments, the Prime Minister of Qatar gives the media a very simple and direct message: “The 2009 - 10 budget will ensure that all our development projects continue… according to plan.”

Impressive road and public works facilities are being built in Qatar with a whole series of new motorways under construction that will link the capital to other cities and regions of development.

Ashghal, the Public Works Authority, which was set up in 2004, has a plan in place that when initially announced included at least 32 new roads, 19 public buildings and six drainage works. Much of the central and essential work was carried out in time for the 2006 Asian Games but work continues on the remaining projects.

The government’s 2009 budget allocation for major public works increased 160% to $16.3 billion from $6.29 billion, while the allocation for public services and infrastructure, including roads, water, electricity and sewage works increased 205% to $8.4 billion from $2.7 billion. Even with this kind of spending the government

Doha’s new airport will have capacity for 50 million passengers a year

has listed a budget surplus for the last four years, which currently stands at $6.3 billion. Based on their estimation that oil prices will average $55 per barrel throughout 2009, it seems likely that this surplus will remain despite the fall of prices. In fact, the Qatari government is in the enviable situation of not being able to spend its money fast enough, so expect more impressive infrastructure projects in the future.

TAKEN TO THE SKIES Construction is underway at the New International Doha Airport (NIDA), which will open its gates in 2009.

Once again, one might need to draw breath when considering some of the construction statistics related to this $9 billion project. To start with, over 60 million cubic meters of earth had to be recovered from the sea to reclaim about half of the airport’s 22 square km area.

This is the equivalent of spreading soil at a depth of one meter over 92,000 football fields.

The airport’s eastern runway will be the second longest in the world at 4850 meters, shorter only than the lyanovsk-Vostochny International Airport in Russia.

But it needs to be as the NDIA will be the first airport in the world designed and built to handle the new Airbus 380800- super carriers, of which Qatar Airways recently bought a fleet of 16.

“With two parallel runways, the New Doha International Airport will be the biggest airport in the Middle East and will greatly advance the tourism industry in Qatar,” said Hassan Ali Bin Ali, Chairman of the Doha 2016 Olympic and Paralympics Games Bid. Yearly capacity on its opening day will be 24 million passengers, double the original planned figure due to the fact that Qatar Airways has been expanding rapidly, with passenger and route numbers increasing faster

Until then to drive to Bahrain one must cross into Saudi Arabia and then follow the already existent 22 km King Fahd Causeway that links Saudi Arabia to Bahrain. The bridge would cut travel time from five hours to a mere half an hour.

As a name, the “Friendship Bridge” is also particularly apt as it is hoped

the link will heal rifts created by a territorial dispute between the two countries over a potentially oil rich area. The formal agreement to build the bridge was signed in June 2006, just a year after a territorial dispute was resolved by an international court.

It is possible that in years to come the causeway might form part of a wider system of trains and highways connecting the whole GCC. French firm Vinci has been awarded the main construction contract and survey work is already underway.

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than any other quality carrier in the world. With orders of $16 billon, the carrier’s fleet will almost triple in size to reach 110 aircrafts by 2015.

On completion the airport will have a capacity of at least 50 million passengers, and handle 2 million tons of cargo and some 320,000 planes a year. The main terminal building will have an area of more than 350,000 square meters, the equivalent of about 50 football fields, and will become Qatar’s biggest building.

On the commercial front, over 100 hectares of land alongside the airport have been reserved for commercial use, to include a free trade zone, business park and retail area while within the airport the transit experience will be enhanced with a check-in and shopping area that is 12 times that of the current airport. The overall development of the airport was awarded to American engineering giant Bechtel.

The Friendship Bridge will be the longest fixedlink bridge in the world

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GROWING POPULATION One of the reasons the new airport is needed is due to a rapidly growing population, recording double-digit growth every year and now estimated at 1.5 million.

Furthermore, it is estimated that the population will reach three million in the next three years. This will result in a burgeoning demand for new properties and residential complexes.

With so many expatriates, the alteration of the law to allow foreigners to own property was inevitable.

Prior to 2002, non-Qataris were not allowed to own property, with the right having first been extended to GCC nationals to buy property in the areas of Lusail, Al Khuraj and Thaayeb Mountain. In 2004, the law was further extended to allow foreigners from the GCC and further afield to buy property in West Bay Lagoon, Al Khor Resort and The Pearl. The passing of these laws was essential to facilitate the mega projects associated with the areas that foreigners can own property in, since Qataris alone would not supply enough demand for these enormous developments.

On the rental side, the new law makes all tenancy contracts legally valid for two years, whether for housing or commercial rent. Other important amendments include a law allowing foreigners to buy land in certain areas for a 99-year renewable lease, eased planning permits and residency laws. These changes are expected to lower inflation and be particularly beneficial to logistics and distribution companies, as warehouse space was in such short supply that rents had soared threefold less than five years. As a result, suppliers opted to bring goods in for immediate distribution rather than put them in storage. Such added costs had a multiplier effect, driving up costs, especially for the end consumer.

The fast rise in population has also placed pressure on housing supply with one result being that prices have risen steeply and in turn contributed towards high inflation. According to some sources, the average rental price of a two bedroom flat in Doha soared from $897 in 2002 to over $3,000 in 2009. However, as the current housing construction projects come to completion together with the international fall of rental and real estate projects prices, a lot of this pressure will be removed and there should be a downward trend in rental prices.

Although construction in Qatar is big business, the experience that Qatari companies are developing in their home market is proving invaluable experience to allow them to tender for projects abroad. Even for foreign companies established in Qatar such as Asteco.

With investments from the Middle East to the West surging over the past years, the Dubai-based company is exploiting its on-ground consultancy experience to help regional investors diversify their portfolio in the UK, Europe and North America.

^i=t^^_=`fqvW= THE CITY WITHIN A CITY

Among the mega projects underway in Doha, the $3.2 billion Al Wa’ab City stands out for its originality and different approach. It is not about large towers and crowded spaces, it is about community and family lifestyle. Stretching over 1.25 million square meters, Al Wa´ab City is a low-rise, low-density multi-use development that is poised to bring a different experience to the urban landscape.

“We are confident that Barahat Al Wa’ab will become a destination of choice for residents and visitors alike and will set a benchmark for urban retail development in the region,” said Mr. Brian Meilleur, President and COO of Al Wa’ab City.

This ‘city within the city’ is the first project to be privately owned and has an un-matched strength, its location. Situated along one of Doha’s main arterial roads, the project has immediate access to infrastructure

such as water and electricity, as well as close proximity to schools, hospitals and sports facilities.

“We are definitely targeting residents for whom lifestyle, convenient access to amenities, comfort and security are important considerations. Family values and cultural awareness are key factors in the design and execution of this project,” said Mr. Meilleur.

The city is a fully planned community. It integrates various options of quality residential, retail and office components, all serviced for 10 years by an international facilities management company in order to ensure longterm sustainability. Over 20% of the site will be dedicated to public and green spaces. The heart of the project, the Barahat Al Wa’ab will be a stunning 44,000 square meters piazza –the size of over seven international football fields - which, in the finest Arabic traditions of hospitality, will be a meeting place for shopping, dining and recreation. The landscaped Barahat Al Wa’ab, will have shaded walkways, water features, leisure amenities and lush green gardens. There will be

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extensive underground parking, which means that traffic and congestion will never be a problem at Al Wa’ab City, providing a pedestrian friendly environment.

A 200-room 5-star luxury hotel will anchor Barahat Al Wa’ab. Although there are many candidates, the hotel operator is still to be decided. “Now that the design of Barahat Al Wa’ab is completed, it is much clearer what type of hotel brand and operator will be right for the City. There are opportunities in this development, which are unique, and which would be best realized by a particular type of operator. Most importantly, it must be an operator who shares our long-term vision for the City. We have had a number of general discussions with operators in the past and are now prepared to enter into much more detailed discussions,” said Meilleur.

Al Wa’ab City’s luxurious high-end villas have been released for sale to Qataris and GCC nationals. “We have a very limited number of luxurious high-end villas for sale to Qataris and GCC nationals. These properties or homes are the most exclusive part of this centrally located community, where quality, serenity and security are primary objectives. Each of these will become a very prestigious address to have in Doha,” said Meilleur.

Located amidst lush green landscaping, the exclusive Al Lewan villas are the flagship residences in Al Wa’ab City. Each unit boasts over 1,000 square meters of space, has a built up area of around 870 sq. meters including five-bedrooms, an integral triple garage, private swimming pool and internal elevator. “You are not only buying the land, you are buying developed land,” said Issa.

The Al Lewan and Hattan villas, are being privately sold in an impressive state-of-the-art Customer Relations Center on Salwa Road, where a team of sales experts present potential buyers with a comprehensive overview of the project. “It presents the project on a more personal level to provide them with the residential option that perfectly matches their requirements,” said Carla Issa, Vice-President of Marketing & Sales These palatial villas are limited to 92 units and their style is inspired by traditional Arabian architecture and contemporary design, with luxury finishes and fittings. Each villa will have high quality Interior Design and finishes and a series of smart-home technology capabilities to maximize convenience and comfort.

The second residential option available at a lower price and now for sale, is the Hattan villas, with 186 units located within two private compounds. The four-bedroom, 480 square meters villas are available in four distinct designs and each incorporates a double garage, high quality finishes and smart home technology capabilities.

The owners of these villas will have access to many of the services provided by the five-star hotel, access to the prestigious health and fitness club, and be within walking distance of the vibrant Barahat Al Wa’ab.

“Aside from the villas for sale, over 200 additional

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villas and 1,450 apartments, catering to different lifestyles and budgets, will be offered for lease. Al Wa’ab City will therefore help meet the rise in demand for residential space that is the result of the fantastic growth in Qatar’s economy. In total, Al Wa’ab City will become home to over 8,000 residents,” said Mrs. Meilleur.

“The remaining villas and apartments are designed to exceed market standards and will be available for leasing. accommodation in Doha. When coupled with the green and public space environment, and the amenities offered by proximity to Barahat al Wa’ab, we expect these to be the residences of choice for tenants in Qatar,” added Mr Issa.

Although Al Wa’ab City is expected to be substantially completed by 2010, Al Lewan and Hattan villas will be ready for occupancy by the end of 2009.

For retail, Al Wa’ab City will offer a mix of anchor and boutique-style tenants spanning over 100,000 square meters of space. The majority of the retail space is located -around the Barahat Al Wa’ab, which will become a magnificent destination for entertainment and shopping in Doha, and so will have the traffic

required to support the targeted retail activities.

The commercial office component of over 200,000 square meters is strategically located with major road access to both downtown Doha and the industrial area, paying close attention to the needs of commercial office users in the design of office buildings.

All of the offices will meet international safety standards and the floors are easily configured to accommodate the needs of large, medium and small users. Furthermore, these will be low-rise buildings with internal green spaces, providing a civilized environment with limited need for a tenant or visitor to use an elevator to get to the required office.

The project has employed world-class designers and architects, 5+Design, specializing in urban retail developments to design Barahat Al Wa’ab. “We have reviewed, in detail, numerous successful urban retail developments around the world to take the best of those developments and incorporate them into the project.

No effort has been spared in ensuring that Barahat Al Wa’ab will offer the environment and amenities necessary to make it a unique and pleasurable experience for retail tenants, visitors and Al Wa’ab

Al Wa’ab City comes from the Arabic word for a “spacious plot of land”; the project will house a unique public gathering space, the 44,000 square meters Piazza – Barahat Al Wa’ab

City residents,” said Mr. Meilleur.

“We are confident that Barahat Al Wa’ab will become a destination of choice for residents and visitors alike and will set a benchmark for urban retail development in the region,” he added.

With the drawing power of Barahat Al Wa’ab, and the development of a world-class hotel, Al Wa’ab City will play a meaningful role in helping to develop the tourism infrastructure in Qatar.

“The retail, entertainment and dining components of Barahat Al Wa’ab will offer guests new options while the hotel’s world-class business, conference and meeting facilities will help to attract new visitors. We are fully supportive of the country’s initiatives in creating a new destination, business and entertainment opportunities for visitors to Qatar and we look forward to contributing to the success of these initiatives,” said Mr. Meilleur.

“The Al Wa’ab City project has been designed by a Qatari family for all local families; our principles’ vision is deeply entwined with the local culture and this fact is clearly reflected throughout the project. We strongly believe this community to be the embodiment of high quality of living in Qatar. Here you have the choice to be as social or as private as you want. I think it will influence and set a unique benchmark for other new developments in the region”, concludes Mr. Meilleur.

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qÜÉ=mÉ~êä=n~í~êW= ib^ÇáåÖ=åÉï= qlrofpq=abpqfk^qflk

Qatar is becoming one of the Arabian Gulf’s most promising leisure destinations. Glittering new skyscrapers are mushrooming along Doha’s semicircular bay, while shopping malls and luxury hotels are opening all over the capital, signaling a new era.

With a long tradition of pearl fishing and a more recent history of dramatic transformation and development, this land of giant oil and gas fortunes is just starting to tap into its vast resources and realize its potential as a leisure and hospitality destination.

Doha, the capital, is in the midst of a development that only a few years ago was unimaginable. It is also becoming a cultural and educational center in the Arab world, with a world-class art scene - and a large number of art galleries and chic shops.

Ehab Kamel Ahmed, Retail Leasing Manager at The

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Pearl-Qatar, described the happenings of the past few years in Doha as “nothing less than an absolute miracle of far-reaching implications not only for Qatar, but also for the whole region at large.”

“As substantial investments in the tourism and hospitality industries pour in from local, regional and international resources, the city is quickly becoming one of the region’s most popular destinations for mega projects and developments,” he added.

One such mega development with the potential to attract regional and international tourists is The PearlQatar, an offshore, Riviera-style, man-made island costing in excess of Qatari Riyal 50 billion (US$14 billion) and the first urban development to offer freehold and residential rights to international investors.

The Pearl-Qatar’s name and location, on a former pearl diving site, highlights the country’s traditions and strong historical and cultural ties to the sea. It is

to transportation and solid and liquid waste treatment systems, in addition to advanced technological systems.

Porto Arabia, the first phase of the island development, which is being promoted as the premier destination in the Qatar region for luxury living, has a charming mix of European fashion and Arabic culture, refined living and active lifestyle, quiet relaxation and rousing nightlife.

This is one of the most upscale regions in the project with a 2.5 km boardwalk that includes high-end restaurants, cafes, and shops offering an array of wellknown international brands and names in the world of fashion, in addition to jewelry and car exhibits. Porto Arabia also includes one of the biggest marinas in the region with a capacity to harbor more than 785 boats and offers sailing services to the visitors of the island where private boats can moor at one of more than 785 berths.

A ring-shaped island with beautiful landscapes reminiscent of lush European gardens, Porto Arabia features 31 luxury condominium towers, each comprised of some 160 one- to four-bedroom units on 18 floors, crowned by four elite, two-floor penthouse units with breathtaking views. Towers feature covered resident and guest parking, doorman and concierge service within the five-star-hotel style lobby, and a private amenities level with fitness centers, banquet facilities, and a children’s playroom.

Evoking the architectural styles of Mediterranean Europe as viewed through a uniquely Arabic lens, the towers connect to the inner ring of a bustling retail district via secluded garden courtyards, complete with water features, pools, jetted spas, and trellised pavilions.

The multi-level townhomes, numbering nearly 20 per parcel, bridge between the landscaped tower gardens and the retail promenade along the waterfront., where private boats can moor at one of more than 785 berths.

The heart of the Porto Arabia contains shopping and dining districts with nearly one million square meters of retail, restaurant, and entertainment space forming part of a graceful promenade around the island.

UDC recently launched one of the central towers located at Porto Arabia’s exclusive entrance, Tower31, which won the CNBC Best High-Rise Development award at the 2008 CNBC Arabian Property Awards. Tower31 is also adjacent to Porto Arabia’s beach club.

Future development includes a six-star hotel on its own island, a pearl in the center of the Porto Arabia, as well as private beach and tennis clubs for residents and

No other country in the Middle East is focusing so much on quality of life

an island rediscovered, located 350 meters off Doha’s prestigious West Bay District and 25 kilometers away from the International Airport.

Spanning more than four million square meters of land, and 32 kilometers of new coastline, it will eventually be home to a multicultural community of over 41,000 residents, and comprise 15,000 dwellings in 10 precincts on completion in 2012.

The Island will also include five-star hotels, marinas, a yacht club, schools, restaurants and lifestyle amenities, as well as two million square feet of upscale retail space with some of the world’s most renowned luxury brands.

The Pearl-Qatar is being developed and promoted

by United Development Company (UDC), one of Qatar’s leading private sector shareholding companies.

The island project has been called the ‘smartest island in the world’ because of the specifications and services which are being provided, ranging from security

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Khalil Sholy, Managing Director of UDC

guests of The Pearl-Qatar. The Four Seasons has chosen to open its second hotel operation in Doha on the Marsa Arabia Island within Porto Arabia.

According to Walid Maalouf, General Manager of UDC’s Hospitality Development Company (HDC), every feature of The Pearl-Qatar has been designed to convey a feeling of glamour, exclusivity and sophistication.

“The aim is to develop a world-class, lifestyle destination for the benefit of Qatar and the world,” said Maalouf.

A fully-owned UDC subsidiary specialized in owning, developing and operating world-class hospitality projects, HDC is on a mission to create partnerships with globally recognized leaders as well as with young, yet promising hotel and restaurant brands.

Some of the hospitality brands coming to The Pearl-Qatar are boutique hotels designed and run by the most creative and professional names in the industry. Maalouf promises that the end results will be sensational: “Private cabanas, entertaining beach bars, secluded bungalows with private pools and Jacuzzis, and naturally landscaped gardens will be the norm.”

Maalouf, whose expertise in hospitality management

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includes projects in the Middle East and Europe, ranks The Pearl-Qatar “way up there” on the short list of global developments he describes as “spectacular and complete,” and whose impact on the tourism and hospitality industry will be “enormous and immediate”.

Malik Awan, general manager of United Fashion Company (UFC) believes The Pearl-Qatar, which he calls an “Island Paradise,” will create a lifestyle of incredible qualities and expectations.

“Fine living, shops and restaurants featuring the world’s best known brands, a water-side haven of marine activity, all combine to create an environment second to none in the Arabian Gulf,” said Awan.

Awan is confident that major brands will come to The Pearl-Qatar because they know it makes perfect sense to have a presence there. “They are fully aware that The Pearl-Qatar is a natural progression for this country and the place for significant future happenings and events.”

He further believes that The Pearl-Qatar is well on its way to positioning itself as a niche, highend player in tourism through the different features of lifestyle expectations it is creating.

“There is a difference between a real estate project and creating a destination,” said Maalouf. “Why should people come here? Why should they move or visit? There is a huge emotional component.”

No development will do more to place Qatar on the world tourism map than the opening of the New

The $14 bn Pearl-Qatar project is rising out of the sea 350 meters off the coast

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Anticipating dramatic increases in the number of tourists and visitors once the new airport opens by the end of 2009, Qatar Airways is aggressively expanding its fleet size and routes. The carrier’s fleet will almost triple in size to reach 110 aircraft by 2015.

SENSATIONAL EVENTS SET THE STYLE OF LIFE ON THE PEARL-QATAR

Doha International Airport, set to take place next year.

The initial first phase of the new airport will service 24 million passengers per year, but once fully developed in 2015, it should be able to handle more than 50 million passengers annually.

Qatar has recently been ranked as the Middle East’s top travel destination in a recent survey by the World Economic Forum. The country was placed 37th out of 130 countries in the Travel and Tourism Competitive Index (TTCI) 2008 - the highest-ranked Middle Eastern country. Moreover, according to the UN World Tourism

International attention was focused on Qatar in November last year by a series of sensational events at The Pearl-Qatar Island. It made international and local headlines almost every day, starting with a visit by H.H. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar to the island It continued with the hosting of the World’s top eight women champions for the draw of the 2008 Sony Ericsson Women’s Tennis Championship, viewed by almost a billion households worldwide, and coincided with the kickoff of a three-month entertainment program on the Boardwalk of Porto Arabia as a lead-up to the opening of the island to its first residents.

The 2008 Sony Ericsson Women’s Tennis Championship brought together the WTA Tour’s top players – World number one Jelena Jankovic, Roland Garros champion Anna Ivanovic, US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, Wimbledon winner Venus Williams, rising Russian star Vera Zvonareva, and Dinara Safina, Serena Williams, Elena Dementieva.

The Privatcar Supercar show later drew crowds from all over Qatar to see the world’s most luxurious and fastest supercars.

DURAT AL DOHA: The Imperial Towers at The Pearl The second phase of The Pearl is Viva Bahriya, where real estate developer Durat al Doha is developing five Imperial Towers. Scheduled to be ready by 2010, each of the towers has been designed in an architectural style belonging to one of the five continents so that each tower will be distinctively different from the others.

Each tower is named after a precious stone. The Imperial Ruby Tower was inspired by the richness and contrasts of Asia, the Imperial Diamond Tower brings to mind the geometric yet earthy designs of Morocco in Africa, and the Imperial Emerald Tower is reminiscent of the wide open spaces of the American West, the intense colors of Mexico and the dramatic imagery of the Mayan and Incan civilizations.

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The Imperial Amber Tower draws its inspiration from Euro chic, which is rooted in reverence for the classic schools of architecture and has led the world of design for the last 100 years.

The fifth tower, the Imperial Opal, is a reflection of the colors, patterns and textures of Polynesian culture that make for peaceful, relaxing interiors.

As far as the interior decoration goes, the Imperial Towers draw inspiration from around the globe to offer gorgeous interiors themed after cultures from the world’s five continents. Public areas and lobbies will be uniquely decorated in line with each of the towers’ themes, making an impressive statement to everyone who walks through them.

This fresh approach will inject diversity

and individuality into each of the buildings. Each tower will have between 154 and 166 apartments and two luxurious four-bedroom penthouses.

Durat Al Doha has appointed Asteco and Engel & Volkers as sales agents for the Imperial Towers project. “Together we have devised a never-beforeseen payment scheme,” said Khurshid Hassan, an executive committee member of Durat Al Doha at the launch of the Imperial Towers. “Buyers can book their apartment by paying just 10% of the value, with another 10% due after six months. The remaining 80% will be due only after the apartments are handed over in 2010. This gives our buyers two interest-free years of ownership until project completion.”

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tÉäÅçãÉ=íç=sÉåáÅÉ> Qanat Quartier

A waterbus ride from the New Doha International Airport starts off the adventure in this romantic and historic intersection of Roman, Byzantine and Arab cultures. For one thing, an excursion on a mahogany waterbus promises to be as spectacular, if not as intimate, as the fabled gondola rides in Italy’s Venice.

The boardwalks and constant bridge crossings in this Venice-like precinct are planned around intricate canals, creating a festive atmosphere reminiscent of the best that Italy has to offer. Old-fashioned lampposts line narrow streets where parents can be seen pushing strollers, friends sit at outdoor cafés, and couples walk

hand-in-hand. There’s no mistaking, this is Qanat Quartier community. It’s a jumble of quaint cafés, specialty boutiques and upscale salons. You will not need to know Italian to find your way there. You will not need to know Arabic, either. You’ll just need to be there.

For many, the journey begins at The Pearl-Qatar, Qatar’s most prestigious development, as hundreds of potential investors gather at The Oyster (sales and marketing center of The Pearl-Qatar) for the launching of a precinct destined to become The Pearl-Qatar’s rendezvous with history. Only a few hundred meters away, and just across from Porto Arabia, lies what will become a dream community called Qanat Quartier.

But Qanat Quartier is not so much about travelling back in history as it is about experiencing a place that would not exist had it not been for visionary dreamers at the United Development Company (UDC), owner and developer of The Pearl-Qatar.

A PRIZE FOR EVERY EYE This is indeed a dream community deep in the Qatari imagination. Designed by renowned architect Serendipity

By Design, Qanat Quartier, two years from today, will be celebrated for its colorful Venetian character, intricate

72 | Qatar 2009

canals and pedestrian-friendly squares and plazas.

This treat for the senses includes boutique-style shopping malls, an art gallery, a Museum of Art featuring western and non-western works, furniture and sculpture, upscale handicrafts, antiques, art studios, decorative art outlets and two 200-room luxurious designer hotels.

“Unprecedented demand has been generated during the launch last year and the investment potential is being realized in housing, retail and lifestyle opportunities,” said Salim Abdul-Rahim, General Manager of Sales at The Pearl-Qatar. “Less than one week after the launch of Qanat Quartier, demand increased significantly and we now have the bigger chunk of offerings in Qanat Quartier taken either by corporate or individual investors.”

Low-rise residential buildings, elegant townhouses, art festivals, parades, sidewalk shopping and a sailing clubhouse add to the feeling of being at home here.

According to Abdul-Rahim, Qanat Quartier promises a true Venetian lifestyle. Beach and marina buildings have been specially designed to support the vibrant marine

community while a sailing clubhouse, architecturally themed after elements of the Tuscan countryside, will create a focal point for residents and visitors alike.

“In all areas the demand has been spectacular, be it from corporate investors purchasing apartment buildings or individuals looking to purchase apartments or townhouses,” said Abdul-Rahim. “Different sections in Qanat Quartier offer different styles of living as the architectural approaches provide the highest build quality of construction, amenities, lifestyle and exclusivity.”

SHOP TILL YOU DROP According to Ehab Kamel Ahmed Hussam Ahmed, General Manager of Retail Leasing Manager at The Pearl-Qatar, is a veteran of the retail sector with wide experience in the Middle East and North Africa.

According to Ahmed, whether you prefer to peruse one-of-a kind boutiques or relax in a piazza-like retail setting, Qanat Quartier’s diverse shopping options are sure to satisfy.

“From designer clothing to fine jewellery, our shopping areas in Qanat Quartier will abound with the latest and greatest in fashions for the family and home,” said Ahmed.

By the end of 2009, when Qanat Quartier is completed, it will have superb market positioning for retailers to benefit from a unique, Venice-like residential community of some 3,000 people. Add to this, the thousands of visitors expected every day and you’ll have all 320,000 square feet of retail space bustling with customers and window shoppers.

Art and fashion abound in this precinct. You can spend an entire day in Qanat Quartier exploring more than 250 upscale shops, boutiques, galleries and fine restaurants. There you will find fine fashion at shops with catchy names, visit museums and art galleries, enjoy picturesque spots, dine at cafés as cool and hip as any in Europe, or take your family out for a seafood dining experience, where fresh seafood is accompanied by live piano music and plenty of people watching.

THE BRIDGE IS THE THING Legend has it that the well-known British poet Lord Byron went looking for love and romance by Venice’s Rialto Bridge. He came to Venice single, but fell in love right there. So giddy was he with love one night that he fell into the canal while trying to get into a gondola and showed up to his date soaking wet. It was in Venice that Byron wrote these words: For the sword outwears its sheath, And the soul wears out the breast, And the heart must pause to breathe, And Love itself has rest The magic of romantic Venice cannot be fully discovered without the Rialto Bridge, considered by many to be the true heart of Venice. The story of this charming old stone bridge began more than 400 years ago, when Antonio da Ponte built it over the Grand Canal in Venice.

If you’re wondering whether Qanat Quartier will have its own Rialto Bridge, wonder no more. Lined with a double row of shops and spanning a grand canal, the Rialto counterpart at Qanat Quartier will serve as the biggest of ten pedestrian bridges in the precinct.

“People visiting Qanat Quartier will be struck with the majestic view from that bridge down the main canal connecting the various neighborhoods,” said AbdulRahim. “True, Qanat Quartier is young and fresh and will be soon hosting a constant tide of visitors, but behind its sunny facade lurks a curious past, kept alive by legend and through key attractions reminiscent of Venice’s oldest landmarks.”

Experts voice concerns that Italy’s Venice today faces many challenges, including loss of population to other areas and physical damage caused by the natural environment. Fortunately, developments like Qanat Quartier remind us all that, sometimes, it really does take dreamers for history to repeat itself.

PLACIDO DOMINGO IN QATAR The Pearl-Qatar is one of the biggest man-made projects in the world with an area of 4 million sq meters. But it has also attracted some of the biggest names in the arts. Last year, World-renowned tenor Placido Domingo performed at the Marsa Arabia, the site of the future Four Seasons hotel at The Pearl-Qatar.

Performing to an audience of 3,500 people, Domingo was accompanied by soprano Ailyn Perez and American maestro Eugene Kohn conducting

Germany’s Baden-Baden Philharmonic Orchestra.

The program featured highlights from Domingo’s operatic repertoire, as well as contemporary and SpanishLatin American classics, including “Tonight” from Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story and “Gia nella note densa” from Verdi’s Othello.

“We are proud to have had Placido Domingo as the first performer on

the Island and to be a catalyst for the ongoing emergence of Qatar as a major regional cultural center,” said UDC’s Managing Director and President Khalil Al Sholy of the event.

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qÜÉ=i~åÇ=n~í~êW SELLING A DREAM Hussain Fakhri is the marketing manager of The Land Qatar, an investment-oriented company that works with the aim of developing the real estate sector in the Arab world and the single largest investor in The Pearl-Qatar.

“No matter what building you are in, what floor you are on, or what side you are facing, you will have spectacular views,” said Fakhri. The Land Qatar is one of the major Qatari residential and commercial real estate providers and a crucial developer in The Pearl-Qatar. It has a $2 billion premium real estate portfolio featuring Perlita Gardens, a private gated luxury community, and 17 towers on Porto Arabia and Viva Bahriya.

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The Pearl is an island shaped like a string of pearls and diamonds that will be linked to the mainland by a four lane, palm-tree lined highway. The Pearl will also have the longest retail street in the world. But as contrasts are inevitable, this landmark development has often been compared to Dubai’s man-made island, The Palm.

“The Pearl is better designed and less condensed than the Palm. It is fairly exclusive in terms of the amount of land that you have compared to the amount of units that you have. The Pearl is a high-end destination whereas the Palm is more of a general recreational area. Of course there are high-end units but it is very

“Qatar in three years time will be the largest gas exporter in the world. For a country of this size that is phenomenal. In five years from now the income from gas revenues in Qatar will equal half of Saudi Arabia’s oil revenue. This is a population of 1.5 million versus a population of 27 million. Qatar has 25-year contracts with China, Europe and the US for gas exports meaning they have a sustainable solid income. We know the economy in Qatar is solid, the income is solid. The job generation is going to continue and the population is going to double in the next 10 years. In terms of the real estate market, we haven’t even scratched the surface yet. This is just one freehold project that has been sold for the last four years,” he said.

Fakhri explained that although the volume of buyers has decreased in the last months of 2008, the company has managed to generate profit by attracting important investors. “The sales have scrolled down in the last month in terms of volume of sales, but actually the value of sales is fine because we have key investors that

The Land

condensed. Qatar is a different economy to Dubai, which economy is based on tourism and trade, whereas here we have a very strong sustainable long-term economy based on hydrocarbon and gas. And besides, why would you live in a tree when you can live in a pearl?”

Established by Saudi businessmen, principally Chairman Ahmed bin Suleiman al Rajhi (Chairman of Al Rajhi Group of Investments), The Land is also progressing with its work in Energy City Qatar (ECQ), where it is building the Atrium, a state-of-the-art, 50,000 square meter commercial office development located within the city. Featuring cutting edge design that fuses glass, wood and concrete, The Atrium will be the first office development completed in Energy City Qatar, providing five floors of office space.

Despite the ongoing global economic turmoil, triggered by international credit fears and its impact on several economies across the world, Fakhri is confident in Qatar’s economy and that The Land’s projects in the country have only started.

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come in and buy a whole floor or buy five villages.”

Graduating in Business Studies and Marketing in Ireland, Fakhri has extensive international experience and marketing expertise, having worked as marketing manager for multinationals such as Yahoo and Qatar Airways. After four years in Qatar, Fakhri has no intention of moving.

“I honestly wouldn’t live anywhere else, Qatar is a very exciting place. As a family man i am very happy here, it is very secure, very safe. It is an excellent place to bring up children and there is so much happening.

It is not a sales pitch. Qatar has a very solid foundation in terms of economy. They are not going after package holiday makers from Europe or Australia, they are looking for top business people,” said Fakhri. Quite understandably, he lives at The Pearl.

The Land has also shown its commitment and belief in Qatar to ride out the financial crisis, assuring that all projects are to continue. ”We have been

investing in Qatar since 2004, with well drawn, long term ambitious plans, inspired by our belief in the strong Qatari economy,” said Said Said, President of the Land Holding.

Furthermore, at the beginning of 2009, The Land launched a 20-floor residential luxury tower at The Pearl called Porto Vista. “Porto Vista Tower is a spectacular world-class development targeted at an affluent international clientele, blending Arabian culture with European sophistication. The result is a community that offers handcrafted luxury and an unrivalled investment opportunity,” said Fakhri.

The building’s design was driven by by the unrivalled position of Porto Vista. ”Our inspiration for this project comes from the spectacular surroundings and unsurpassed views offered by Porto Vista Tower, the site location, the enveloping waterfront location in one of the world’s most magnificent island developments, The Pearl Qatar,” added Fakhri.

The Land has signed an exclusive sales and marketing agreement with leading global realtor Qatar Sotheby’s International Realty to ensure the 260-unit Porto Vista Tower sales reach an international investor network, which covers some 38 countries and has more than 10,500 sales associates. ”We are delighted to be the only developer to offer Qatar based real estate through the prestigious Qatar Sotheby’s International Realty brand. Sotheby’s International Realty has brokered some of the world’s top luxury real estate and we look forward to being its premier luxury real estate firm in the region,” said Karim Jabbour, CEO of The Land, at the signing of the agreement.

The Land Real Estate Investment and Development was founded in 2004 as a major international real estate developer with the objective of bringing in-depth experience and professionalism to the Middle East’s real estate and construction industry. Established by Saudi businessmen, principally the Al Rajhi Investment Group and Said Said, The Land is investing $6.15 billion in major developments in Saudi Arabia ($3 billion), Jordan ($250 million), Bahrain ($500 million), and in Palestine ($200 million).

“The Land Qatar is one of the fastest growing companies in the Middle East, with ambitious investment and development plans. We aim to become the leading real estate investment and development company in the region,” said Said.

The Land’s property portfolio is grow to $20 billion as the holding company expands into new territories and with developments planned in Romania and Belarus.

The Land Tuscan

The Land Qatar is one of the fastest growing companies in the Middle East

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n~í~êá=aá~êW Where imagination doesn´t reach Imagine the opportunity to design an entire community from scratch, so that everything could be meticulously planned to be just the way you want it; that is what Lusail has set out to do.

Located 15 km north of Doha on the eastern coast, Lusail will be Qatar’s newest city. The scale and ambitions of the project are nothing short of

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audacious and it is one of the largest construction developments anywhere in the world.

The project is being master planned and developed

by Qatari Diar, an indigenous company fully owned by the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), which was created to support Qatar’s growth locally and overseas.

Lusail - Commercial Boulevard

Qatari Diar has proven without a doubt that Lusail, Qatar’s largest domestic real estate project, is a catalyst for local, regional and international inbound investment into Qatar

The site covers a total of some 35 million square meters (35 km2 ) and will eventually house 200,000 people, equivalent to 20% of Doha’s current population.

Lusail is quite literally a city that will rise from the desert, an engineering feat of no mean proportion that, once finished, will have 19 beaches stretching a combined total of 4 km.

Within the city there will be several areas with a distinct focus, including Energy City, Media City and an entertainment district. Other suburbs will each have a distinct character and the whole city will be equipped with all the civic and infrastructural needs that a new age development such as this requires. Two marinas,

with beautiful sea views looking out over landscaped islands, will provide moorings for well over 1,000 boats while for those who prefer to stay on land there are two 18-hole golf courses planned by globally renowned golf course designers. With island resorts, mosques, local and international schools, 10 hotels, commercial zones, hospitals and green parks, Lusail will truly be an oasis in the desert.

The city will be home to both Qataris and expatriates. Non-Qatari’s will be able to buy property in Lusail and there has been extremely strong interest from both investment and home making perspectives.

The planning has been carried out to promote a family environment and will encourage inclusive community values. The aesthetics of the city are of high importance and the design has been drawn up so as to build not just a functional city but also a beautiful one. The building features will reflect traditional Qatari, Arabic and Islamic architecture delivered in a contemporary context.

One of the key districts of Lusail that will make a significant contribution to the city’s overall character is Energy City. To date the Gulf doesn’t have a single area that pulls together resources and expertise to act as a hydrocarbons center of management in the same way as say Houston or Calgary. Energy City is the first purpose-designed center of its kind anywhere in the world and is destined to become the region’s preeminent hydrocarbons hub. Considering the Middle East holds as much as 60% of the world’s oil resources and 40% of its gas, it will clearly continue to play an important role in the world’s energy security, making the need for such a center all the more compelling.

A GREEN ENERGY CITY Located at Lusail’s southern end, Energy City will be a neighbour to the new Qatar Petroleum headquarters to its immediate west. The city will cover an area of 1.2 million square meters, carefully designed in a spacious setting and with the central street layout innovatively based on a spiral design, which relies on the golden ratio, one of nature’s building blocks of design.

The city will be split into two zones, a low rise office area which will house some of the biggest names in the oil industry and a residential area less than 500 meters to the north. The offices will provide working

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space for 20,000 people while the residential area will accommodate 10,000 people in comfortable houses built with families in mind. All told, Energy City has a development value of $2.6 billion.

The city will bring together companies representing the whole oil industry value chain as well as the service companies that they require in an environment that will provide a platform for companies to compete as well as co-operate. Facilities will include world-class geophysical, technical and analytical installations, high tech data storage, and state-of-the-art communications systems. As the world’s largest gas exporter Qatar is already very much on the map as a hydrocarbons giant, but Energy City will do even more to raise the country’s profile.

To the east of Energy City will be Entertainment City, Qatar’s first purpose built entertainment district alongside residential properties, commercial zones, and specially designed attractions.

Climate controlled pedestrian ways will allow for comfortable strolls through the district or alternatively take a gondola, since the area will be linked by canals with river taxis. The attractions will cater to all tastes and ages with everything from a snow dome to a tropical rainforest.

The district has a development value in excess of $1.2 billion and will cover an area of one million meters. “Entertainment City will add momentum to Qatar’s tourism boom and will significantly increase the country’s attraction to visitors, in addition to significantly increasing the hotel room stock. Entertainment City is set to increase this by a further third to almost 15,000 rooms in 2009,” said Rashad Janahi, CEO of Abu Dhabi Investment House, which owns the property.

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BEACH FRONT PROPERTY As a coastal country almost surrounded by sea, Qatar has long been a sea faring nation and was once a key part of the important East-West trade that passed from the Middle East to the Indian subcontinent. It’s fitting then that Lusail will avail of two marinas designed to moor boats from the smallest to ocean-going yachts.

Located at the south end of Lusail on the Al-Qutaifiya Lagoon, this area will offer unrivalled water front views and a stunning range of houses designed to meet a cross section of family sizes and needs.

Whatever your reason to be close to the sea – recreation, tranquillity, sports or simply the view - the Marina district is the place for you. The Marina was the first to have plots offered for sale to developers and sold out within days, serving not only as an indication of the overall interest in Lusail, but also of the great potential this particular area has.

Part of the key to Lusail’s development is a design that clearly demarcates several areas and districts, to both provide individual characteristics and cater to the varied needs and tastes of residents. More than 10 such areas exist in the plan, including Energy City, Entertainment City and the Marina. The names alone reveal something of their distinct nature – Fox Hills, Waterfront, Boulevard, Palm Alleys, the Corniche and Island Resorts - while still all coming together to make a coherent city.

Having carefully studied similar developments elsewhere in the world, Lusail’s designers were conscious of this need to create variety that will keep the senses stimulated by different environments. Of course, cities grow organically over centuries or even millennia, resulting in naturally different suburbs.

However, as anyone who has tried to navigate the streets of some of the world’s most famous and ancient cities will readily tell you, organic growth comes at a cost and it’s very often the inability to plan properly.

Lusail has the best of both worlds – an aesthetically beautiful city that at the same time benefits from the best planning for practical and logistical purposes.

Fox Hills is one of the city’s regions that will provide something completely different to what exists in the rest of Qatar. Located with spectacular views of the golf course and its green fairways, Fox Hills will be the backbone of Lusail. Whether you want your views to have blue seas to one side or beautifully landscaped green fairways of the golf course to the other, Fox Hills will keep you satisfied. Like the Marina district, plots in the Fox Hills area sold out in record time, within 48 hours. In all there were 370 plots on offer, split into the northern zone comprising consolidated plots of 10 or more together, and the southern zone, where plots were sold individually.

“Qatari Diar has proven without a doubt that Lusail, Qatar’s largest domestic real estate project, is a catalyst for local, regional and international inbound investment into Qatar. The results speak for themselves, as both the Marina District and Fox Hills phases of the Lusail development sold out within days of launching,” developer Qatari Diar said in a statement. The project is to be fully completed by 2011.

BE SMART A key area in which Qatar can continue to diversify its economy is that of Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT), a process that will be reinforced by the Media City, also known as Smart City.

Smart City will compliment Lusail’s Energy and

Ghanim Bin Saad Al Saad CEO of Qatari Diar and Chairman and Managing Director of BARWA

Entertainment Cities and like them, it will be a mixeduse development with residential space alongside that of the TMT specific lots. In total the city will cover an area of some 2.3 million square meters and accommodate some 25,000 people.

The Al Jazeera network will take a 50% stake in the development, with Qatari Diar and Qatar Media each holding 25%. As the host of Al Jazeera, the world’s most famous Arabic television network, Qatar is already well known for its media clout. With both Arabic and English channels Al Jazeera is widely viewed across the world.

Fittingly, Qatar is also well known as an advocate of a free and open press that could serve as a model for much of the Arabic world.

The nation’s telecommunications giant, Qtel, is excelling and has made acquisitions across the world to give it leading positions in many emerging markets. With companies like these the synergies with a TMT city are obvious and can only help to benefit all concerned.

With top rate technical institutions now located

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in the country at Education City and active schemes to encourage partnership and exchange between academia and industry, Smart City will also provide potential employment to the nation’s budding technicians and entrepreneurs.

THE COUNTRY´S LION

Residential Appartments

As a young company that was founded in December 2004 and became operational in March 2005, Qatari Diar may be one of the new kids on the block, but they are certainly causing a stir. Wholly owned by the Qatar Investment Authority, Qatar Diar Real Estate Investment Company is an integral part of the Qatari national vision, having been founded to support the rapidly expanding economy.

Diar has the resources to match its mission, having been capitalized at $1 billion, and they are building considerable experience with some of the world’s largest and best-known developments under their belt. Many of these projects are located overseas and are chosen not simply based on the return they can generate, but also on the value they will add to the communities in these countries, thus allowing Diar to act as an ambassador for Qatar and build enduring international relationships.

Although Diar’s vision to become the world’s premier real estate investment company acting on commitment to the community is ambitious, there is good reason to conclude that they are well on their way. The company currently has 18 projects on the go, including multibillion dollar ventures such as Lusail in Qatar and the Chelsea Barracks redevelopment in London.

As Ghanim Saad al Saad, Diar’s CEO put it, “this

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vision, in which the State of Qatar is a friend to all, and adheres to traditions of faith, culture, community and family, is in all we do at Qatari Diar.

We have come as representatives of Qatar, and hope that our commitment to long-term developments and investments will show people that they have a true friend in our country.”

In keeping with this spirit, Diar does not go it alone but engages in partnerships with other top tier companies to develop many of their projects, which is at the heart of a strategy to ensure that world class standards and practices are followed in all of their activities. Diar frequently works with Barwa, the Qatari construction company specializing in Qatari projects for local and foreign investment, of which they own 45% and could be thought of as a sister company. The companies close leadership will allow them to work hand in hand, taking advantage of common goals and shared synergies. Diar is also diversified with major share holdings in Qatari banks Masraf Al Rayman and Commercial Bank.

Further afield Diar has a joint venture with France’s Vinci Construction Grands Projects (VCGP), who have strong knowledge of the Middle East in general and a depth of expertise in project delivery. Together the two companies will establish best in class benchmarks for the construction industry and support Qatar’s development. From the other side of the world but of equal value is Diar’s partnership with Singapore’s Capital International Asset Management (CIAM), part of the RSP Group. This partnership will allow Diar to deliver advanced technology solutions from infrastructure to building management through CIAM’s expertise in the provision of these technologies.

EXPORTING QATARI EXPERTISE

Qatari Diar has proven without a doubt that Lusail, Qatar’s largest domestic real estate project, is a catalyst for local, regional and international inbound investment into Qatar

Diar led the acquisition with investment from CPC Group through the purpose created company Project Blue (Guernsey) Ltd. There was fierce competition for the acquisition, which attracted interest from all over the world. Formerly home to 1,300 soldiers, including the Queen’s Guard, the compound with its concrete parade ground offers unrivalled opportunity for the development of a mixture of luxury apartments and, in keeping with Diar’s ethos of social commitment, a substantial proportion of the development will include affordable housing. Likewise, new woodland and parkland areas will improve the environmental quality of the area, while offsetting the project’s carbon footprint, which will in any case be far lower than the barracks it is replacing.

The site’s architects will be the award winning Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. “This project is very important to us as it represents our first major investment in Europe. We look forward to working with Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners to create a landmark building of international repute. In line with our commitment to

Ibn Hani - Canal Villa Perspective

Through its own expertise and that of its partners, Diar can offer a broad range of services that allow it to take a project right the way from inception through design to construction and eventual management.

In this way Diar believes it offers its clients both the best value and quality of service. Clearly though, the most important factor in guaranteeing high quality performance, delivery and services is to have the right people on board. The senior management team brings an array of skills with them in the fields of engineering, finance, project development, marketing and many others. Just as valuably, they have learned their trades in a variety of locations, including Australia, Europe and the US. By employing such recognized experts Diar is not only acquiring the knowledge base it needs for today’s operations but also exposing local talent to the very best mentoring, which will pave the way for future Qatari leadership.

The last year has seen Diar expand out overseas. In January 2008, Diar purchased the Chelsea barracks site for £959 million. The value of the deal represents the fact that it is a very rare opportunity to acquire such a development opportunity in the heart of one of London’s most fashionable and sought after regions. The deal was financed through a fully Sharia compliant loan, and under-written by investment banks BNP Paribas, Calyon, HSBC, Masraf Al Rayan and Qatar National Bank.

As Al Saad commented: “Our inaugural syndicated financing represents a major step in the advancement of what is certain to be an important development for all of London.”

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ethical development, the development will create a living, working and social environment that enhances the health and well being of all,” said Al Saad.

Closer to home Diar have partnered with the world renowned luxury hotel brand St Regis to develop their hotel site and complex in Cairo. It will be St. Regis’ first entry into Africa and has a development value of around $1 billion.

Located at a commanding location on the banks of the Nile river at the north end of the Corniche, St Regis will be the benchmark luxury destination the Egyptian capital. Planned to open in 2011, the site will include 300 luxury hotel rooms and over 100 serviced apartments.

The properties will enjoy sweeping views of the Nile in buildings designed by distinguished American architect Michael Graves.

At the other end of North Africa, Morocco is the setting for what was Diar’s first overseas project. The Moroccan government commissioned Diar to create a distinctive tourist resort at Al Houra on the Tangiers coastline. The 199 villas and 415 apartments are located along 2.5 km of coastline and the resort will include luxury hotels, a

Our commitment to long-term developments and investments will show people that they have a true friend in our country

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golf course and all the first rate trimmings that one would expect from such a development. Sales of the villas and apartments were handled by Sotheby’s of London and far outstripped expectation. Total value of the resort is around $660 million. The management contract was awarded to Kempinski Hotels with whom Diar have other successful partnerships.

One of the projects that Diar is involved in on its own door step is the new Doha Convention Center and tower, a striking building that will become one of Doha’s architectural icons as well as a functioning place for hosting global events. The futuristic building was designed by architectural firm Murphy & Jahn, who have designed buildings such as the Sony Center in Berlin and the Deutsche Post building in Bonn. At 110 floor the tower will dominate the Corniche skyline. As well as work space, exhibition facilities and commercial space, the center will house a 200-room five star hotel, a further 200 luxury apartments and a 15 lavish penthouses, all due to be opened in 2009.

With projects at locations from the exotic, such as the Seychelles and Cuba, to metropolises like London and Milan, Diar is truly a global real estate player.

The carefully chosen developments will not only provide handsome returns for the state of Qatar but also create exciting new resorts and homes across the world, all accomplishing Diar’s mission of creating a “better quality of life”.

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_^ot^W= FOR A BETTER SOCIETY As one of Qatar’s premier home-grown companies, BARWA is motivated to help achieve Qatar’s national vision through its contribution to building a better society. Like its sister organization, Qatari Diar, which owns a 45% stake in the company, BARWA is very much aligned with Qatar’s aims and ambitions both at home and overseas. The company was founded in November 2005 and publicly listed with a capitalization of QR2 billion.

Although BARWA has a focus on Qatari projects that will enrich the nation’s future and bring to life its heritage, the company is also diversified with investments in several different sectors and projects in 14 countries. The company slogan, “creating a better environment for life,” says a lot about BARWA’s activities and even name, which means “contractual agreement,” a reflection of their integrity as the Arabic term has overtones of honesty and decency.

BARWA is more than a mere real estate developer, they are actually at the heart of building a re-invigorated nation, which even while it looks forward, holds onto the values of its heritage that give it a unique identity. The kind of projects that BARWA is involved in are literally bringing the nation to life. In some places, the company is creating totally new environments through new cities that rise from the desert to complimenting the already existing urban environment with visionary projects. In

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everything they do at BARWA they are conscious that they are not simply constructing buildings but rather they are creating the places where people will actually live their lives. This is a tremendous responsibility but one which BARWA has readily accepted. And when they work abroad, BARWA take with them the same enthusiasm and ethos that they apply at home.

As a direct result to BARWA’s sincere efforts and keenness to generate leading initiatives and innovative products, the company was honoured the best Islamic real estate institution globally at International Real Estate Finance Summit 2008 - London, UK. At the same event, Urjuan was honored the best real estate development project in Qatar. Domestically, 12th Gulf Engineering Forum honored Hassad BARWA the Excellence & Creativity Award.

SOCIAL ORIENTATION, PROFIT DRIVEN Naturally, BARWA is also a profit orientated company, but they see their social commitment as going hand in hand with their financial goals. After all, the places in which people will be most happy are those that will be most marketable. One factor that distinguishes BARWA is its strategy to take on projects aimed at providing affordable housing for all sectors of society. In their bigger developments a range of housing needs are catered for, which encourages an open and balanced community where everyone can find accommodation to their needs.

Unique to the Gulf, BARWA has taken this responsibility

The company slogan, “creating a better environment for life,” says a lot about BARWA’s activities and even name, which means “contractual agreement,” a reflection of their integrity as the Arabic term has overtones of honesty and decency

even further and will build a workers’ city, BARWA Al Baraha, which will cater to the needs of Qatar’s large immigrant labor community. Furthermore, it includes the first of its kind truck park in Qatar and the Middle East, and is the largest in the world. BARWA Al Baraha Truck Park will provide a total capacity of 4,200 truck parking spaces, making it the biggest in the world as the previous largest truck park was “Iowa 80” in the American state of Iowa, which accommodates just 800 trucks.

As BARWA builds towards Qatar’s future, they are also enabling other sectors and businesses to flourish.

Not only are they planning and constructing the very places in which new and existing businesses will work, their activities spur on further growth in the economy.

In this way they are creating opportunities for a broad scope of feeder businesses, including light industries, engineering, consultancies, banks, tourism and traders.

Of course this is true not just of Qatar, but of the other countries where BARWA works, stimulating communities through job creation in keeping with their belief in the importance of the work done by their employers and contractors at every level of a project.

A cornerstone of Qatar’s vision is to diversify away from oil and gas dependence. Even though Qatar’s gas reserves could last for two hundred years, the government is not resting on its laurels. The great wealth that hydrocarbons have generated is being channelled into other sectors not least of which are the finance industry, and here too BARWA is playing its part through its development of the BARWA Financial District. With international banks and other financial organizations moving to Qatar in large numbers there is great demand for office space, but in today’s business environment offices alone are not enough. International corporations demand a high level of sophisticated and integrated technology, services and infrastructure. BARWA Financial District (BFD) is designed to meet the highest of these demands and indeed set new standards.

BARWA Financial District will be the epitome of an intelligent living and working solution bringing together all the facilities necessary to attract and retain top quality companies that will in turn share in Qatar’s wealth and help to build her economy. Among the many features included in the design are state-of-the-art conference

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centers, luxury hotels, retail stores, restaurants, gyms and relaxing green spaces for those quiet moments at the end of a hard day’s work. The spiritual has not been over looked, as there will also be a place of worship. In short, anything you can imagine that needs to make a busy day’s work easier will be there at your convenience.

It will be a place where no effort has been spared, no detail overlooked and no service forgotten.

The prestigious development will comprise 10 adjacent and individual buildings with a common architectural thread, making it one of the most distinctive architectural projects in Qatar. The average height of the towers will be 25 floors, leading to a 52-floor tower that will take its place in the Doha skyline as a recognized landmark. Overall, more than 500,000 meters of office space will be made available and 5,000 parking spaces. The complex will be among the first in the Middle East to have been certified with sustainable construction design.

BFD will be located in the West Bay Lagoon area of Qatar, just north of Doha’s city center and only 20 kilometers from the international airport. West Bay Lagoon is a cosmopolitan area, replete with ministerial offices, high quality shopping and up-market residences.

The population of Qatar is presently booming, with an influx of workers and businessmen from all over the world seeking out opportunities and the rewards that follow suit, which makes housing construction of vital importance. BARWA is involved in a number of these projects, each designed with the residents unique needs taken into account.

One of BARWA’s flagship housing developments is BARWA City, located at Musameer near the heart of Doha. Already under construction, BARWA City covers

BARWA has made certain strategic choices to preserve the natural environment

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an area of some 2.7 million square meters and will comprise 128 apartment buildings, 6,000 flats and 1,024 studio flats. A contract was signed with Germany’s Bilfinger Berger to construct the $1.3 billion project. The project will eventually house some 35,000 residents and be equipped with everything required to make it a self contained community, including a 200 bed hospital, nurseries, seven schools, banks, commercial outlets, recreational and sports facilities.

Like all of BARWA’s projects, careful consideration of the environment has been taken into account and the whole site will be serviced by district cooling, which is a far more efficient and less costly means to cool residences than individual units, while still allowing each unit to customize their settings. Other centralized features are Qatar’s largest liquid petroleum gas network and a WiFi network.

However, just as there are common features across the city, the buildings will feature diversified layouts as BARWA city is envisaged as a place where each and every owner has been given a space that they can genuinely call home.

Away from home, BARWA have a series of strategic investments and projects that complement and diversify their activities in Qatar. Among these is the joint venture with Kempinski Hotels, the world’s oldest and finest hotel chain.

The new brand was established with upfront capital of $250 million and will result in 10 new hotels across the Middle East and North Africa. Capitalizing on the fact that most travellers in the region are intra regional, the hotel will have a distinctly Middle Eastern character that embodies the values of Arabic hospitality. For those travelling from outside the region it will offer the opportunity to experience an authentic Arabic hotel ambience. These factors will make it a strong investment,

appartment Commercial Center

as it is able to differentiate itself in the regional market against other chains.

Elsewhere in the region BARWA is developing a new suburb of the New Cairo region in Egypt, a suburb of the capital that covers some 1,000 acres and will create a landscaped environment unique to Egypt. In the Emirate of Ajman, BARWA is taking on its first project in the UAE, comprising 900 luxury units built in seven interlinking towers on the water front corniche. Other projects are taking place in cities fierce shortage of real estate such as Istanbul and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

THE FUTURE IS QATAR Turn on the radio and take the highway to the desert. Enjoy the views of its immensity and change the noise and rush of the city for the dunes and suggesting sound of the sea. You have arrived in Al Khor, a whole new seaside city being developed just 30 minutes drive from Doha.

According to legend, the royal purple color of the Qatari flag was originally mixed some 3,000 years ago by fishermen crushing seashells to obtain the dyelike substance on a remote island near Al Khor. “Our decision to choose Al Khor as home for this important project has been driven by its rich history, as well as its position,” said Ghanim bin Saad Al Saad, BARWA’s Chairman and Managing Director at a press conference.

The flagship project, named “Urjuan,” will include high-quality residential units, commercial complexes, schools and other facilities set in the historic city of Al Khor.

A former pearl fishing village, Al Khor´s history goes back to the Ubai civilization around the 6th Century BC. Today, the town is home to no more than 30,000 Qataris and dotted with passageways and fortified buildings.

In this traditional setting a new community is being planned, preserving the ambience and meaning of this unique location.

“BARWA has made certain strategic choices to preserve the natural environment. BARWA’s Al Khor city is to be developed into the nature that surrounds it, transforming it into the green city of tomorrow.

30% of the development has been dedicated to hold landscaped green areas,” said the developer. Covering an area totaling 5.4 million square meters, the built up area of the project will cover 3.6 million square meters and be home to 60,000 people.

Al Khor is a strategically located project that will not only be the closest to the new Bahrain-Qatar causeway, but also on land with fewer restrictions for non-Qataris to freehold ownership of properties. Conceived as an integrated city development, the $9.6 billion project is expected to be completed by 2013.

Al Khor is also known as the ‘mother city’, the first city in the nation of Qatar. With a rich past, Al Khor has an ambitious future as it already houses ExxonMobil, Shell, Dolphin Energy and Qatargas, and set to receive a number of other multinational companies.

“The choice of the Al Khor area for this project has stemmed out of the region’s rich history and its charm as an old city, which fits well with our vision for ‘Urjuan’. We believe that the implications of this master development to the growth of the Al Khor area are undoubtedly tremendous, and this motivates us to further boost this project’s capacity to attract large-scale investments into the city,” said Al Saad. Surrounded by first class sports facilities, schools, hospitals, shopping centers, a marina and 5 and 4 star hotels. Over 24,000 homes and office space are on offer to individuals and companies.

“Since its inception, BARWA Real Estate has assumed the responsibility of leadership within Qatar and is committed towards building the future of Qatar. Through our slogan ‘Qatar’s future’, we aim to address the current and long-term needs of the real estate sector in Qatar,” said Al Saad.

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ydrocarbons, the fuel that drives the world, form the backbone of the Qatari economy. But as environmental concerns become increasingly prominent internationally, there is a growing need for the energy sector to be more environmentally friendly. With Qatar holding vast reserves of some of the cleanest hydrocarbons, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), Gas-To-Liquids (GTL), and liquid helium, the country is well positioned for the coming changes in energy demands. Qatar is also embarking on numerous environmental initiatives and setting a benchmark for environmental design at the upcoming Energy City, the Gulf’s first hydrocarbon industry center.

Qatar is now the world’s largest exporter of LNG at 31 million tons annually, and with the third largest gas reserves on the planet, production will more than double by 2012 to 77 million tons per year. With such

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LNG

Some 75% of the QSTP will focus on the petroleum and petrochemical sector and the remainder on urban as well as on agricultural hydrological issues figures, Qatar is slated to become Britain’s primary LNG supplier and account for some 30% of the USA’s needs by 2010.

To achieve such figures, Qatar has embarked on a $70 billion investment drive in liquefaction trains, predominantly for the North field which, combined with Iran’s South Pars field, has the largest known gas reserves in the world at some 1,300 trillion cubic feet.

LNG’s importance cannot be downplayed despite providing only 7% of the current global gas consumption, as this figure is expected to double in less than a decade and Qatar is to provide 20% of global LNG demand by 2012.

An estimated $14 billion is being invested on RasGas’s three LNG trains – Train 5, Train 6, and Train 7, which are slated to supply 40 million tons per year.

The latest LNG plant to open will take Qatar’s annual production capacity of LNG to around 38 million tons.

LNG is generated by cooling gas to -260° F, where it becomes liquid, 600 times more compact than gas and consequently easier and cheaper to transport.

This is reflected in the ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum LNG carrier, the $300 million Q-Max ship, which carries up to 80% more cargo while requiring approximately 40% less energy per unit of cargo than conventional LNG carriers due to economies of scale and engine efficiency. Furthermore, there has never been a fatality in LNG in the ocean in over 30 years.

At the end of 2008, Qatar ordered 45 LNG tankers from three South Korean shipyards, each vessel capable of carrying more than 200,000 cubic meters. When the orders for the Q-Flex and 260,000 ton Q-Max ships are completed in the next few years, Qatar will have 80 LNG ships. Nakilat, a joint venture of the Qatar Gas Transport Company and Qatar Shipping, will own and operate many of the vessels.

The $1 billion Ras Laffan port is to triple in size by 2014

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‘GREEN’ LNG It is not just in the transportation of LNG that the gas can reduce the carbon footprint. Sportswear manufacturer Nike recently estimated that at its Los Angeles operations their new LNG trucks will emit 18% less CO2, 88% less NOx and 96% less particulate matter per mile when compared to diesel counterparts.

LNG also generates some 133 by-products, such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), piped gas, and Gas To Liquids (GTL). GTL is also a more energy efficient fuel, with car manufacturers using GTL to develop environmentally friendly vehicles. Furthermore, Qatar

Airways, Qatar Petroleum, Qatar Fuel Company, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Shell and the Qatar Science and Technology Park agreed last year to research the potential benefits of GTL Synthetic Jet Fuel in aviation engines.

The environmental advantages are expected to include lower emissions and greater range for aircraft due to the higher energy density of the GTL kerosene as well as reductions in sulphur and particulate emissions. ”Widespread use at major hub airports like Heathrow will provide a noticeable improvement in local air quality,” state-carrier Qatar Airways said in a statement.

Qatar plans to become the GTL capital of the world via exports of one million barrels per day when projects such as the Oryx and Pearl come on stream.

The Pearl at Ras Laffan is the world’s largest GTL plant. Already 50% complete and slated to start production in 2010, the project is a joint venture between Qatar Petroleum and Royal Dutch Shell - Shell’s single largest equity investment anywhere in the world – and estimated to cost between $12 to $18 billion. It will produce a projected 140,000 barrels per day (bpd) of GTL as well as 120,000 bpd of condensate, LPG and ethane from two trains in the North field.

Other spin-offs from the gas sector are also being pursued. A $115 million helium plant is under construction that will supply 600 million cubic feet of liquid helium a year, approximately 10% of global production.

“We are becoming the third country in the world in helium production. In petrochemicals, we expect Qatar to reach a production of 6 million tons by the end of this decade. Qatar through Qatar Petroleum with its partners, will be the fourth country in the world in petrochemical production,” said Al-Attiyah, Qatar’s Deputy Premier Minister and Minister of Energy and Industry.

Nearly 3 barrels of water are produced for every barrel of oil produced

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FROM GREEN FIELDS TO GREEN PROJECTS

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It is not by just promoting the cleaner energy that Qatar has under its territory that the country is adopting a more environmental approach as it diversifies the economy away from energy dependency.

The recently launched $300 million Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) will be at the forefront of research and development into hydrocarbons. Oil giants ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Shell and Total are establishing research and training centers, while Qatar Petroleum, Shell and the QSTP will contribute up to $70 million over a 10-year period to provide the foundation for new CO2 storage technologies. Also involved are leading academic institutions from around the world,

Coral reefs are to be regenerated via innovative “EcoReef” technology

Treated water could be used for crops, livestock, wildlife habitats, and industrial cooling. “Water sustainability is vital for Qatar and the Middle East, and central to QSTP’s strategy of developing key technologies demanded by the local community,” said Dr. Tidu Maini, Executive Chairman of the QSTP, at the launch of the WSC. Some 75% of the center’s research will focus on the petroleum and petrochemical sector and the remainder on urban and agricultural hydrological issues.

The undersea world is also being aided by the energy industry. Dolphin Energy, which completed the QatarAbu Dhabi-Oman gas pipeline from Qatar’s North Field last year, has used its extensive underwater experience to map the coral reefs of Qatar and the UAE over the past three years. And in cooperation with Qatar Gas, Dolphin is carrying out a coral growth study in the Arabian Gulf to regenerate the underwater environment through using innovative “EcoReef” technology. “These installations slow water currents, shelter the small fish which keep coral clean and alive, and provide the necessary

Ras Gas

the first of which being London’s Imperial College. ”As a major resource holder in a time of rising demand for oil and gas, Qatar is keenly aware of the need to balance the energy security concerns of our customers with the need to preserve the environment,” said Al-Attiyah at a conference in London on the QSTP. The QSTP is co-located at the Qatar Foundation’s Education City, where universities of some of the world’s most famous research-based institutions are based. Last year, France’s Total entered into collaboration with Education City for executive training and development. To be Total’s regional hub for executive education and training in the Middle East, Total and the Qatar Foundation will select leading French and European universities postgraduate programs to be taught in Qatar.

Other aspects of the environmental damage done by extracting hydrocarbons are being addressed by Qatar, such as water treatment. On average, nearly three barrels of water are produced for every barrel of oil produced, leaving behind impurities that prevent other uses. To utilize this wastewater potential ConocoPhillips and GE Water & Process Technologies, a unit of General Electric, are researching more cost-effective and efficient water treatment technologies at the ConocoPhillips’ Water Sustainability Center (WSC) at the QSTP.

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The biggest environmental project underway associated with energy is the $2.6 billion Energy City, which is being pitched to become the hub of the energy business in the Middle East. It will be the region’s first dedicated hydrocarbon’s center and will include Energy Efficient Architecture to make the city more environmentally friendly.

With a sustainable energy research center, the city’s designers have mandated that all buildings be built to green building specifications. Buildings will draw power from wind and solar energy, construction materials will be environmentally friendly, while natural light will be used to reduce consumption of electricity. To get Energy City officially stamped as “green,” Qatar plans to submit the project to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). An initiative by the US Green Building Council that provides a set of standards to be voluntarily met for certifications in environmentally sustainable construction.

Meanwhile, the Qatar Investment Authority, the country’s sovereign wealth fund, has entered into a £250 million partnership with the United Kingdom to help British companies develop renewable energy and low carbon technology. The Qatar-UK Clean Technology Investment Fund will seek to make venture capital investments in clean energy businesses primarily located in Britain.

With so many green projects underway, Qatar is setting a global benchmark for a more sustainable use of hydrocarbons and by re-investing in the very environment that enabled the country to amass such wealth.

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n a country that relied on pearl ďŹ shing for its income not too long ago, families like the Darwish, Faisal, Jaidah, Alfardan, or Ali Bin Ali managed to build up their empires from scratch in parallel to the skyscrapers that now dominate the capital’s skyline.

The discovery of oil took them by surprise and time flew until they finally started to realize the ramifications of the oil and then gas business.

Most of the family businesses in Qatar started to grow by investing their meagre savings in the diversification of their businesses to provide support services to the newly emerging oil industry. The financial support gained from these investments created the big multi-

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million dollar family empires of Qatar.

Following the path lead by the Emir, businessmen in the country like Abdullah Darwish saw oil not just as a temporary profit but as a blessing that would launch a country of barely 20,000 inhabitants at the beginning of the twentieth century upon a journey towards a longterm transformation based on a strategic development.

Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani, Chairman of Al

Sh. Faisal bin Qassim. Al Thani, the Chairman of Aamal

Adrian Haddad

I would like to call on all the youth to have a clear vision of what they want to achieve in the future and to utilize all the resources provided by the government to become a better person. Qatar has the best education institutions, excellent medical health services and sports centers. I believe a good education and determination is the key to a better tomorrow

Faisal Holding and Aamal Holding, started his trading business some 40 years ago. Today he runs an empire and his own private Museum that displays a curious side of the history of Qatar and the Islamic Art. Al Faisal Holding most recent business venture includes a partnership with Al Rayyan Tourism Investment Company to execute the expansion of City Center Doha, the largest shopping mall in the country.

The holding is building five hotels that will be managed by top names in the hotelier industry such as Shangri La, Rotana, Renaissance, Court Yard Marriott and Merweb.

“Qatar aspires to achieve its economic vision by building on its current strengths and overcoming the challenges. The ultimate objective of the economic vision is to create a modern, diversified, knowledgebased competitive economy,” said H.E. Sheikh Hamad bin Jabor bin Hassim Al Thani, Secretary General of the Planning Council, at a conference on the future of Qatar.

To achieve this Qatar has deliberately taken a

different approach than fellow Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, particularly the booming Emirate of Dubai. “The philosophy is different. What is happening in Dubai is growth, in Qatar it is development,” said Abdulwahed Abdullah Al-Mawlawi, Managing Director of Al Ahli Hospital and former CEO of the Commercial Bank of Qatar.

By a decree from the Emir, all Qatari companies and joint ventures are to have a 20% Qatari workforce.

This is known as “Qatarization” and although currently Qataris make up 12% of the workforce and less than 2% of the private sector, it will create innumerable opportunities for the new generations of the Qataris educated at Qatar Foundation.

“It is not about modernising the country, but to develop Qatar,” said Bader Abdullah Al-Darwish, Chairman of the Darwish Group and son of a man that used to sell sheep for a living. “I’m very optimistic about the future of Qatar because of the vision of His Highness. Our future starts with education and the Emir took the best universities of the world and brought them here. He is concentrating on the human being, on how to improve the person. I am really proud and extremely confident about the future of my children”.

In the mid-1980s Bader and Saoud, the second generation of Abdullah Darwish, took over the family business and expanded it beyond Qatar. For the past five years, Darwish Holding’s retail sales have grown by 40% a year to $145 million in 2007, and today the business has expanded rapidly into the still booming real estate sector.

“My father taught me how to build a good name and

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B'Q A T A R I a good reputation to make a business, and how to follow up your business,” said Darwish. “But he also told me that to build an empire takes time, but to ruin it, one day could be enough.”

Since Al-Darwish´s father and uncles started the business 90 years ago, Qatar has come a long way and so has their empire. They are now involved in aviation, vehicles, hotels, stock markets, retail and real estate.

“When I took over the business I was a salesman. I assisted in the huge growth of Qatar,” recalled Darwish.

“The first contracting company in Doha was Darwish Engineering, and the first airline company was Darwish Travel. The first department store in Qatar belonged to the Darwish family, and we would like to continue this way,” said Darwish.

And they might as well, as they are building in Qatar a new concept of high-end shopping mall, called Lagoona. In fact, most of the projects underway in Qatar that have transformed the capital into a giant building site have big Qatari family names behind them.

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The Alfardan family is one such name, with the founder, Hussain Alfardan, passing on the running of his business to the next generation. Alfardan established Alfardan Jewellery in 1954, and now runs what is one of the region’s biggest conglomerates with his three sons, Ali, Fahad, and Omar.

Fahad Alfardan heads the Alfardan Marine Services, which was established in 2005, while Ali Alfardan heads Alfardan Jewellery. Omar Hussain Alfardan is the president of the Alfardan Group, which has expanded over the years into the automotive and marine industries, money exchange and finance, trading, services, real estate, and hospitality. And with Hussain Alfardan the first Managing Director of the Commercial Bank of Qatar when it was founded in 1975, his son Omar has carried on the tradition through being a board member of the bank as well as the United Arab Bank in the UAE and the National Bank of Oman.

But it is real estate that the Alfardan Group has the biggest visible presence in Qatar. Some of the projects on the company’s roster include Alfardan Center, Alfardan Gardens, Laguna Beach, Alfardan Plaza, Alfardan Towers, Alfardan Residence, and Qassar Towers. The group is also involved in the Resorts Development Company (RDC) and was one of the founders of the United Development Company (UDC) in 1999. UDC is the major player in the creation of the multi-billion dollar project The Pearl-Qatar, a reclaimed island encompassing an area of nearly 4 million square meters.

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B'Q A T A R I

Bader Abdullah Al Darwish, Chairman, Darwish Holding

QATARI OWNED Unlike other regional states that were raised by foreign investments, nationals own most of the developments of Qatar.

“If you compare Qatar to Dubai, you find that in Dubai the assets - what is being built - are not owned by Dubai itself, but from overseas investments pouring in.

In Qatar all the economic growth we are witnessing is solely owned by Qatar, which makes a huge difference when it comes to a longterm prognosis of the economy. The question of being or not being an economic bubble is not really a question here, but is in Dubai. Why? In 30 years Qatar might run out of oil, but the gas could last another 200 or 300 years, and with diversification and other investments, it’s bound to have incredible ramifications on the economy,” said Al-Mawlawi CEO of Al Ahli Hospital.

Darwish Holdings is currently involved in multimillion dollar real estate projects such as the $200 million, five-star residential building “Darwish Tower” that will feature a rooftop Japanese-style swimming pool and spa with state-of-the-art technology.

Lagoona, Darwish’s latest project, is a 127,000 square meter, two-level lifestyle shopping center with 53,000 square meters of retail shopping. Nestled between the iconic Zigzag towers in the future heart of Doha’s West Bay area, the country’s most cosmopolitan vicinity, Lagoona, with over 170 retail shops and 20,000 square

When I took over the business I was a salesman and assisted to the huge growth of Qatar

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meters of European-style piazza surrounded by outdoor patios, will focus on higher-end brands and aims to become a major destination for consumers and tourists in Qatar.

The luxurious mall will become Qatar’s first fivestar fashion shopping outlet as the population keeps increasing and the expenditure of the government remains high. The property owners, Dar Investment and Development, created the vision of the project with the assistance of designers Pappas Design Studios of Montreal, Canada and MZ & Partners Architects.

This alliance was the logical move in the evolution of Darwish Holding’s market as one of the leading business organizations in Qatar.

“We have the added benefit of proven relationships with many of the world’s biggest and most prestigious brands. We have a 50 year history with Rolex, a 40 year history with Sony and a 30 year history with Chanel to name a couple of examples. This gives us a head start in terms of attracting tenants. We are going to ensure the shopping center is an extension of our commitment to luxury, and as such we are talking to prospective tenants that reflect that”, emphasized Darwish.

PERFUME COMES IN SMALL AMOUNTS Both the Towers and Lagoona are evidence of the vast changes that the country has undergone. Decades ago it was Darwish who opened the first store with air conditioning in Qatar. As people would be attracted by the cool air and modern ambience, the store was referred to as “Modern Home”, a name that was immediately adopted by the Darwish for the first retail chain of the group.

Modern Home became a hallmark in the country’s shopping scene, being one of the top sellers of brands

as glamorous as Chanel or Dior, but driven by the fast changes of the country. Partly because of this, Darwish decided to reshape his business, adapting its image to reflect the new image of the country by targeting a younger and more demanding consumer.

The retail business of Darwish had a makeover last year and became 51 East, the geographical coordinates of Qatar and “the intersection of style and luxury where Eastern and Western cultures harmoniously converge.”

With an annual turnover of $150 million, this luxury consumer goods trading center with products ranging from cosmetics to expensive watches, is the living proof that, as Darwish believes, quality brands keep selling in times of recession.

“We have experienced a growth of over 50% annually in the last four years. Now the situation has changed, but there will still be growth and the projects will continue according to plan,” said Darwish.

Darwish Holdings’ beginnings in the late 1940’s has always echoed of the progressive phases Qatar has embarked upon. At the beginning of the 21st century, both Qatar and Darwish are in the modernisation wave.

There are other prominent players in Qatar, but one of the stories that stands out for its originality is that of Sheikh Al Faisal, a man who started trading automobile spare parts and today owns Aamal, an international conglomerate, and the Sheikh Faisal Museum that houses a collection of artefacts and art that represents the country’s past.

“I moved to Doha from the small village where we lived. Before the oil and gas the main industry pearl trading. When the supply of pearls declined a lot of people left the country to seek other resources.

The food was scarce and it was a poor country,” remembered Al Faisal.

It’s extraordinary to compare his words to what Qatar is today, with the country’s GDP soaring from some $31 billion in 2004 to more than $90 billion in 2009.

“It has been an exciting experience to witness the remarkable economic development of Qatar. We are lucky to live in one of the world’s fastest growing economies, evidenced by our young nation’s diversifying markets and infrastructure development,” said Al Faisal.

“Our organization has been fortunate enough to have actively participated in contributing to this growth throughout the four decades of its operation.

It is our every intention to avidly continue our contribution to Qatar’s economy.”

A visionary, the Sheikh was one of the first Qataris to get involved in the real estate business by providing Qatar with one of the largest shopping malls in the region. Doha City Center opened its doors in 2001 and is currently preparing for expansion and the completion of five towers around the mall that will host prestigious worldclass hotels later this year.

Although today there are a number of new malls in Qatar and others like “The Gate” or “Lagoona” to open their doors soon, there will always be a feel of romance and nostalgia towards City Center, the same way there is towards the Sheraton, two of the first buildings in the deserted area that today covers the new high-rise downtown of Doha.

Unlike other regional states that were raised by foreign investments, nationals own most of the developments of Qatar

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B'Q A T A R I At present, while Qatar is moving towards a new society through education and sports, most of the family-owned businesses now belong to the second generation. The challenge will be for families to successfully pass on the business mantle to the second and third generations.

THE THIRD GENERATION

Qatar is where Eastern and Western cultures harmoniously converge

City Center

City Center

Mohammed Jaidah´s grandfather knew a lot about pride. His family once thought he had passed away as he had not been seen for months since leaving for India. “It was around 1930. He was robbed over there and didn’t want to come back with empty pockets. It was such a question of pride and honour. He started working in India and didn’t come back until he got what he had gone there for,” said grandson Mohammed Jaidah.

Jaidah is the youngest member of the family and part of the new generation of Qatari managers. He was the first Qatari to graduate from the Doha’s French School, which represents the beginning of an era that ushered in a more sophisticated and educated society. By that time,

English was already the second language of the country.

Logically, when Jaidah finished school he left to Paris for his university studies and only returned four years ago to run the marketing department of the Jaidah Group.

Although today the group is one of the best known in the country, the trading tradition of the Jaidah Family harks back to the travels of Jaidah’s grandfather to India and Iran, where he bought spices, tea, coffee and other commodities.

“At this time Qatar surely had no towers. It was a very small town, kids played on the streets and cars were rare,” said Jaidah. The particularity of Qatar being a small country with a small community had a direct impact on business.

“The dealings are very human,” said Jaidah. “The owners talk to each other and between companies, striking deals more than having some mangers meeting with other managers. It’s much more at a family level and a friendship level. It helps a lot. There is a strong link between all the families and therefore all the businesses. It also puts limits on the way you do things.

You don’t have in Qatar a lot of people who would scream out their names from the rooftops when they do marketing or advertising,” said Jaidah.

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Mohammed Jaidha, Marketing & Business Development Director, Jaidah Group

NO CARS, BIG OPPORTUNITY Scooping out opportunities seems to have been the Jaidah´s way. When no one had a car in the country Mohammed’s father, who had wanted to go to university, started instead a business with his father. It was at the same time oil was discovered in the North field by BP, together with gas that was, ironically in hindsight, initially considered to be relatively worthless. Used

to travel, Al Jaidah visited the United States where he reached a deal with General Motors.

“He was the eldest of seven children so he went off to work importing cars from Japan, the States and Europe in a company that was called at that time Jaidah Motors and Trading Company, which a few years ago was renamed the Jaidah Group,” stated Jaidah of his father.

“I guess there were very few cars and he saw the opportunity,” he added.

From such beginnings, the company moved from being specifically dedicated to importing cars to businesses like industrial equipment, furniture, oil and gas, and finally, in the 1970s, IT. “Today the company is involved in every business that has a growth perspective. We are at the beginning of our industrialization process but at the speed we are doing it, we will see huge changes in only 15 years,” said Jaidah.

The trading tradition of the Jaidah Family harks back to the travels of Mohammad Jaidah’s grandfather to India and Iran

SETTING A GOOD EXAMPLE “Since His Highness Sheikh Hamad took power in 1995, he showed that what he was doing wasn’t for his own interests or for a selected few, he was doing it for the country,” said Mohammed Jaidah.

Although an autocracy where the Emir rules by decree, Qatar’s ruling family has managed to build at the same time an open-minded society in a country that respects its traditions. “We are based on tribes. So before there was a state of Qatar and a ruling family. There were Bedouin tribes run by the head of one family. In the 1800´s there was a war and the tribes that gathered chose Al- Thani as their head,” explained Jaidah.

“And we don’t tend to change things. For a country to try to change, you need something that doesn’t work.

People revolted when they were unhappy with the ruler.

Even if you want to do a coup, you need the support of people; you can’t do it on your own. Why would you want to support something like that if everything is going fine? No one wants change just for change; we want change for something better. The reality is that these things didn’t happen here because the government was wise enough and strong enough,” said Jaidah.

Jaidah, like many Qataris, talk highly of the Emir’s vision. It seems that the whole country is actually working together towards a same end. They believe in it, and they are definitely going for it. And at this pace, the country is changing rapidly. “He has set a vision, we are following,” concluded Jaidah.

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s the hood is removed, the falcon takes off from his owner’s padded arm, soaring through the sky to spy out prey amid the desert. The falconers follow in pursuit, but no longer on horseback or on foot, but in a four-wheel drive vehicle.

Falconry, a symbol of royalty and Qatar’s past, is indicative of the change the country has experienced in the space of an average lifetime. The desert is being turned into real estate, man-made islands rise from the sea, and expatriate workers account for 75% of the population.

Amid such dramatic change, and all over the course of a decade, a country can lose its direction, its identity

106 | Qatar 2009

and what differentiated it from others as it is swept up in the zeitgeist.

It is a common enough story around the world today as country’s open up, modernize and become more business-orientated. With globalization knocking at everyone’s door, it is culture and tradition that people feel is under threat, in danger of becoming homogenous and the past forgotten in the rush to

We are taking the best of other cultures to a new generation of Qataris that is well educated and open minded, but protecting the existing culture and tradition of the country

participate in the global economy.

The Gulf states have struggled in particular with the challenges of modernity while keeping hold of their identity and culture. First the British controlled the area, as the Trucial States that is now the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain. Then with the discovery of oil, London’s control over the area started to wane, culminating in independence for the UAE in 1971, and Qatar in the same year after terminating the 1916 Anglo-Qatar Treaty.

“Black gold” and gas transformed these states from an existence that had been eked out of the desert, and from fishing, pearl diving and trading. Men would brave shark-infested seas to swim down into the depths to

collect pearls. During the diving season, lasting two months in the height of the summer, 60 divers would go out and only 50 to 55 would come back after weeks at sea, unlucky with the sharks, the tides or the depths, which could leave divers deaf. The cultivation of pearls in Japan in the 1930s started the beginning of the end of this way of life.

At that time, the Gulf’s culture was tribal and Islamic, capitals were no more than large towns, and contact with the world was limited to the Persian Gulf, the Indian subcontinent and news that trickled down from Baghdad to the North, and Damascus and Cairo in the West.

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Life was dictated by the weather, of a brief rainy season and then a heat that continued to soar until the mercury touched some of the highest temperatures on earth. As a Bedouin saying goes, “that cloud brought this rain.”

Such an existence can barely be imagined by Gulf Arabs born in the wake of the oil boom, or by a visitor to the region, catching just a glimpse here and there of a way of life that no longer exists. The covered souks (bazaars) have been replaced by shopping malls, traditional wooden dhows with modern fishing vessels, and the camel shunned in favour of four wheels.

But to know your future, as well as your present, you must know of your past. Qatar is well aware of this, and has deliberately set out on a course to preserve and uphold its heritage while the country undergoes such massive transformation.

The country does not want to emulate Dubai, where little is left of the past, millions of tourists descend on the Emirate every year, and glitz has taken over from substance. “With the opening of Qatar (to the world) and the Emir’s new vision for the country, we are very keen on having the best of international know-how and expertise, whilst keeping the culture, origins and habits of the people,” said Sheikh Faisal, Chairman of Aamal and Al Faisal Holding, a conglomerate comprising over 30 companies and employing 3,000.

To blend this desire to retain the past yet embark on a project for a future Qatar that is knowledge-based, cultured and innovative, the Qatar Foundation is playing its part. A non-profit organization, the Foundation is behind Education City, a cluster of world class North American universities, as well as research, science and healthcare facilities that are turning Qatar into an educational hub. “We are taking the best of other cultures to a new generation of Qataris that is well educated and open minded, but protecting the existing culture and tradition of the country,” said Sheikh Faisal.

There is no better way of learning about Qatar’s culture and traditions than by talking to its people, such as Sheikh Faisal, who started out trading automobile spare parts. I moved to Doha from a small village where we lived. At that time the population in Doha did not exceed 6,000 and everyone knew each other,” he recalled. “It was a small population but with a long history of resisting conquerors that have always tried to dominate Qatar. Before the oil and gas the main industry was the collection of pearls. When the pearls started to run out a lot of people left the country to seek other livelihoods. The food was scarce and it was a poor country.”

While such a livelihood is not desirable for many Qataris today, Sheikh Faisal is keen to preserve the country’s rich heritage through his own collection of artefacts and memorabilia, the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Museum.

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Adrian Haddad

Adrian Haddad

When I was young I used to collect everything, including little things from the desert, and I grew up with that passion

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From Islamic-era arms, manuscripts, ceramics and fossils found in the North African desert, to an old Corvette Sheikh Faisal acquired on one of his trips to the West, the museum houses thousands of artefacts and antiques Sheikh Faisal has been collecting since he was a child.

Sheikh Faisal inherited this passion from his father, who used to collect guns, swords and carpets, and would take him to visit museums everywhere they travelled. “When I was young I used to collect everything, including little things from the desert, and I grew up with that passion. I started to collect in the 1960’s, but I never expected that I’d build such a big museum and have access to such unique pieces,” he proudly said.

MUSEUMS, CULTURE AND FALCONRY Sheikh Faisal’s museum has been joined by others over the years, foremost the National Museum, which is undergoing expansion, and last year by the Museum of Islamic Arts.

The new museum is the flagship project of five museums being built by the Qatar Museums Authority (QMA). The emphasis on Islamic art is part of the Emirate’s philosophy to meet the high-tech requirements of the 21st century, while at the same time safeguard the region’s traditional and cultural values.

Spanning 13 centuries and three continents, the

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The country has restored the 200-year old Souk Waqif in Doha, trying to recreate it as accurately as possible

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Museum of Islamic Arts displays a vast variety of artifacts originating from Cordoba to Mughal Delhi.

While the QMA spent lavishly to acquire Islamic art and artifacts, Qatari individuals have also played their role. Last year, the museum received a 450-year old handwritten manuscript ornamented with gold leaf that contained valuable information regarding medicinal treatment. “My family and I refused the notion of selling the book to auction houses, so it was passed from one generation after the other,” stated the donor, Dr. Nour, who works as a professor at Weill Cornell Medical College-Qatar.

“When it started to deteriorate, I felt that the most righteous and honorable way is to donate it to an Islamic museum that can preserve and display it,” he added.

But it is not only through manuscripts and museums that Qatar is preserving its heritage. The country has restored the 200-year old Souk Waqif in Doha, trying to recreate it as accurately as possible by using old aerial photographs to draw up the plans and gauge the bazaar’s original size. “The souk is not a tourist attraction per se, but the result of the restoration and expansion so much appreciated by visitors and residents because it offers a more genuine experience of Qatari culture,” said Ahmed Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Qatar Tourism and Exhibitions Authority.

The souk is also home to one of Gulf’s oldest traditions, falconry, with stores offering hunters specialized equipment as well as selling live falcons.

Used as a hunting bird, Qataris can often be seen during hunting season driving out to the desert to let their falcons swoop and dive to up to 200 miles per hour as they spy out a meal amid the sand dunes. Unlike in the past when Qataris would follow falcons by horse or foot, today the avid falconer will follow suit in modified jeeps with extra springs to handle the desert terrain and swivel seats to spot the falcons. So popular is the falcon in Qatar, that along with being the country’s national bird, there is a veterinary clinic solely for the bird of prey, the Qatar Falcon Center.

THE ARAB CAPITAL OF CULTURE 2010 While traditions such as falconry have adapted and changed with the times, Doha is gearing up to be the “Arab Capital of Culture” in 2010. “Preparation for the event is the responsibility of all people, not only the government,” stated Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari, Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage, indicating that Doha is planning far more than the concerts, events and lectures that are usually organized by capitals hosting the year-long event.

One initiative underway is the Cultural Village, a 99-hectare site in the West Bay area that will reflect Qatar’s heritage through traditional architecture that carries a historical and cultural theme. In addition

112 | Qatar 2009

Used as a hunting bird, Qataris can often be seen during hunting season driving out to the desert to let their falcons swoop and dive to up to 200 miles per hour as they spy out a meal amid the sand dunes. to theaters, libraries, art galleries and museums, the Cultural Village will include an amphitheatre, heritage centers, and other academic facilities. “The Village was one of several other steps initiated by the government to develop Qatari culture and its infrastructure,” added Al Kuwari.

The Qatar Foundation is expected to play a major role when Doha becomes the Arab Capital of Culture.

Such a role will be fitting to its symbol, the Sidra tree, which reflects Qatar’s past but also its Islamic identity.

Mentioned in the Quran as a representation of the

divine, the Sidra is cited as a shady haven for scholars, a source for traditional medicine and a symbol of life in the desert.

One of the Qatar Foundation’s members, the Al Shaqab Stud farm, is equally representing Qatar’s long history with Arabian horses. Named and located on the site where the Qataris and their Arabian horses prevailed against the Turks at the beginning of World War I, Al Shaqab has become a symbol of equestrianism in the Arab World since it was established by the Emir in 1992, breeding three

world champion stallions.

Qatari interest in Arabian horses is not confined to races however, with Al Shaqab becoming such a popular destination for visitors to Qatar that the farm is to open a visitor’s center and museum to showcase the heritage of the Arabian horse.

With so many developments underway, Qatar is bringing about a renaissance in the Gulf, combining culture, history, science and technology to form a society that has a strong sense of where it is going, and where it came from.

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e it historic forts or modern luxurious hotels, Qatar is all set to become the jewel of the Gulf. A vibrant city dominated by skyscrapers and illuminated by the Museum of Islamic Arts, Doha mixes its top-end boutiques and sports facilities with the alleyways and smells of spices of its Souq Waqif, while the country offers a Caribbean coastline and desert to explore.

Lacking historical sites and natural wonders that attract millions of tourists every year to other parts of the Arab world, Qatar is investing over $15 billion on hotels, museums and theme parks to make this part of the Gulf an attractive destination for the more discerning tourist.

Visitor numbers have been slowly increasing, up from 500,000 in 2005 to 800,000 last year. By 2010, Qatar aims to attract 1.4 million tourists and boost the average stay from 1.5 days to four.

Central to achieving this goal is the New Doha International Airport (NDIA) and the national air carrier Qatar Airways, which will both act as catalysts to boost visitor numbers. With some $9 billion being spent on

116 | Qatar 2009

the NDIA, the airport will be one of the largest and busiest in the world when it is finished, able to handle a staggering 50 million passengers a year.

Out of this number, Qatar hopes to cash in on passengers in transit with Qatar Airways, which has embarked on an aggressive expansion plan to treble its fleet and fly to 100 countries by 2015. “We see the leisure sector as an extension of the business sector, with business travellers extending their stay for an extra day or bringing their spouse and family along. Also, more travellers are now stopping in Doha for one or two days when travelling to another destination when flying with Qatar Airways,” said Ahmed Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Qatar Tourism and

Qatar is maintaining a balance by carefully preserving its identity, culture and past, as we don’t target the mass market,” said Ahmed Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Qatar Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (QTEA)

Exhibitions Authority (QTEA), created last year when the Qatar Tourism Authority and the Qatar International Exhibitions Center merged together.

The QTEA has recently announce that 26 exhibitions will be organized in Qatar this year with a wider range of topics to attract an array of exhibitors, from education and sports to energy and real estate. “Thanks to our 15,000 square meter Doha International Exhibitions Center, Qatar is now able to host 26 international exhibitions in 2009. We look forward to 2011 when we’ll have the Doha Exhibitions Center and Tower ready with a 45,000 square meter capacity to host even more world-class exhibitions and fairs,” said Lahdan Ghanim Al Mohannadi, Head of Exhibitions Organization and Exhibitor’s Service Section at the QTEA.

MUCH MORE THAN BUSINESS Qatar has also set its sights on being a major hub for MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and events) in the region, which will contribute to boosting short-stay visits. “Qatar aims to become a dominant player in the

Middle East for the MICE sector as well as the cultural and sport sectors,” said Safak Guvenc, General Manager of the newly opened W Doha Hotel and Residences, part of the Starwoods Hotel group. “To participate in this incredible growth that Qatar is witnessing, investors want to contribute to a new kind of experience for visitors and the local community in this region. For these reasons, W brand chose Qatar as its first destination in the Middle East, a decision that will impact on high-end customers who are regular travellers and loyal to hotel brands,” he added.

W Doha Hotel & Residences is located on a prime site in the West Bay area of Doha close to the City Center mall. Guvenc is certain the area has been well chosen.

“The site benefits from panoramic views of the Arabian Gulf, which will be enhanced by the multi-floor nature of the building. The West Bay is the emerging commercial heart of the city and contains the majority of the new commercial developments as well as the majority of the city’s luxury hotels,” he said.

A new business district is also taking shape, called “the Raspberry,” similar to New York’s Manhattan. It’s a typical business district with many hotels and facilities, providing not only a working environment but also a social one, with residences and nightlife.

Gerard Falten of the Sheraton Hotel in Doha, the first hotel to be established in the country, sees this as a great opportunity. “I see that this place will be very interesting with striking buildings and towers each different from the other. The Sheraton Hotel is based in the most striking building right at the edge of the area. I believe it is just the beginning of what will

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B' C H I L L E D come to Doha,” said Falten.

Qatar appears far more comfortable with high-end tourism than following the route Dubai has taken, with the Emirate attracting 6.5 million tourists last year.

“The aim remains to promote Qatar as a high quality destination for individuals and families, visiting Qatar for business, meetings/exhibitions, leisure, culture, education and sports tourism. Qatar does not target the mass market and is not promoted as a package holiday tour,” asserted Al Nuaimi.

As Hossein Vetry, General Manager of the Sharq Village and Spa, pointed out, some 80% of guests at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company-operated resort are there on business. “Today Doha is considered a business city with 90 - 95% of people coming for business, but maybe this will change in the next two years. One advantage of Sharq Village is we are the only real resort in the city, which is uncommon. We are still capturing the business side but also seeing businessmen bring their families with them,” said Vetry.

completed by next year, while 9,600 bedrooms in the four and five star hotel category are to be added in the next four years.

Qatar is also bidding for the 2018 soccer World Cup as well as the 2020 Olympics and, if successful, will result

TOWARDS SPECIALIZATION When Doha hosted the Asian Games in 2006, hotels and sport facilities sprung up to effectively showcase the country during the international event.

Following the success of the Games and with future events in mind, some 40 new hotels will be opened

LIKE BEING AT HOME...

There are things that happen in Doha that don’t happen anywhere else. At least not as recurrent as in Doha.There are plenty of stories of people coming for a week and staying to live or people virtually taken from their positions overseas and brought to work in Qatar.

First it was a better salary, surely a challenge, but it mostly turned out to be a curiosity that found where to hold.

And they stay. They call it the Doha Way. Mohammed Salah was one of them. A native Egyptian, Mr. Salah used to be the work in hotels like Marriott or Sheraton in Cairo until he was approached by an unknown man that offer him to run the biggest accommodation complex in Doha.

Ezdan Hotel and Suites, owned by Sheikh Thani Bin Abdullah Al Thani, was launched in July 5, 2007 under the management of the Ezdan Real Estate Company. When Salah took over the hotel direction at the beginning of 2008

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there was still a lot of work to do. “It took me a while, but I accepted the challenge and left to Doha to assume the direction”, says Mohammed Salah.

Overlooking the Arabian Gulf, the 2,200-rooms hotel is built in four towers connected by a common floor that has become a meeting point for young professionals in Doha. One of the largest pools of the city and the best gym in town share the fourth floor with a number of recently opened restaurants.

From Singaporean flavour to grilled meat you have where to choose. “It is exciting to be part of the flourishing hospitality industry in Doha. We are now at the forefront of providing quality accommodation and facilities in a premium location”, says confidently Mr. Salah. “And stunning views”, he adds.

The 2,200 fully furnished apartments include studios, one, two and three

Mohammed Salah, General Manager, Ezdan Suites

bedroom options in a relaxed and cozy atmosphere. With each and every room reflecting a contemporary philosophy, they are equipped with plasma TV screens, high-speed Internet access, and comfy furniture. Salah and his team brought to raise the standards at Ezdan have already done it. In less than a year they succeeded in opening the pool, the restaurants, the coffee shop and even a supermarket. “It is a like a small town”, says Salah, “where everything is at reach.

But, undoubtedly the best of all is the ambient created by the management team.

B' C H I L L E D in a slew of new facilities throughout the country.

The projects Qatar has embarked on in recent years reflect this. The Qatar Museums Authority is behind the Museum of Islamic Art, the Museum of Traditional Costumes and Textiles, and the Museum of Modern Art. Education and private healthcare are further sectors that Qatar hopes to capitalize on, building the $842 million Hamad Medical City and the the extension of Al Ahli Hospital, while creating an education hub through the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development.

From “medical tourism” to “Islamic hotels” to “MICE”, the region is seeing further specialization of its hotel and hospitality industry. Lebanon and Bahrain are specializing in medical tourism, aiming to capture a significant amount of Middle Eastern nationals who currently travel to Europe for medical care. The Islamic hotel market is growing, not only in the Middle East but also in destinations favoured by Muslim travellers, such as Germany and the UK. There was also the first Islamic Hotel Expansion Congress in December 2007 in Dubai. All these specialized hotel facilities need to be staffed and managed, thus ensuring that for a long time to come the Middle East and North Africa region will remain one of the worlds foci for hotel management schools and the hospitality management industry. Qatar is well positioned for this future.

“Qatar is one of the safest countries in the world and this opinion is supported by the fact that the country has recently hosted internationally recognized conferences, exhibitions and events, including cultural, economic and sports events such as the Doha Asian Games. Visitors to

The New York Times named Qatar the Cultural Destination of 2009

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Qatar can enjoy state-of-the art facilities while immersing themselves in an aura of Bedouin charm reminiscent of Qatar’s heritage,” said Guvenc.

One of the hotels, Hotel Khalifa, is being designed to resemble a French Chateau, while another is to be a 360-room environmentally friendly hotel in Dafna.

THE SHOW IS ON Qatar Expo was the pioneer exhibition organizer established in Qatar. The company was the first ever to launch an Oil & Gas Exhibition, now the most important and established exhibition in Qatar following 14 years of cooperation with Qatar Petroleum.

Although the No.1 market in the region remains Dubai due to the sheer number of international companies based there, Qatar has been competing with the Emirate for the past two years to exhibit furniture, wedding, and consumer shows.

“We are expecting an increase in the number of exhibitors in 2009 because of the economic crisis in Dubai, which I don’t expect will be solved for at least three years,” said Walid Wahba, Acting Director of Qatar Expo.

Being still a fledgling industry, Qatar receives around 600 exhibitors a year with around 25% of the total visitors coming from neighboring countries. The average price for an exhibitor in Qatar stands at around $6,000. Adding tickets and accommodation brings up the overall cost to $10,000.

With databases that cover more than 90 countries, Qatar Expo controls over 40% of the total exhibition market in Qatar and has plans to increase its market

share. The first step was a contract signed with the staterun Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). “There are four main exhibitions in Qatar. The most important one is the Oil and Gas Exhibition followed by the Health Exhibition of the HMC, and we organize both of them. The other two are organized by the Tourism Authority and are the Consumer Show and the Motor Show. Any company that can control 70 % of the exhibitions will control the market for at least three years,” said Wahba.

Boosted by the government’s vision, the Sports Exhibition, organized jointly by Qatar-Expo and Qatar Olympic Committee, will become increasingly important. “Last year QOC signed a $6 million contract with a professional player during the exhibition. This year they have already signed contracts with exhibitors worth $5.5 million for equipment,” he added.

Qatar Expo recently appointed its new CEO Mr. Karim Zarka who is also the managing director of the communications company Grey Worldwide in Doha.

KEEPING TRADITION ALIVE With so many hotels and sports facilities springing up, there was concern that Qatar could lose its heritage.

“Doha is learning from Dubai. They are carefully planning the city, and in many respects ahead of others, in education, healthcare, culture and the arts. Doha is still trying to preserve its history, which is very unique in this area,” said Vetry.

Indeed, with Dubai having grown so fast and in a relatively un-regulated manner, many feel that in the process the Emirate has lost its culture and history.

Other Gulf states have taken heed, with the likes of

In a region that is focusing on growth, efficiency and excellence, the hospitality industry needs to follow

Oman targeting the luxury segment and eco-friendly tourism instead.

“Despite the growth and various developments, Qatar is maintaining a balance and is carefully preserving its identity, culture and past. Because Qatar is not targeting the mass market, it’s easier to maintain this balance,” said Al Nuaimi. “For example, Qatar has restored the 200-year old Souk Waqif and has tried to recreate it as much as possible in the way it used to be by using old aerial photographs of Qatar. The souk is not a tourist attraction per se but the result of the restoration and expansion so much appreciated by visitors and residents because it offers a more genuine experience of Qatari culture. Qatar will continue on this path with other cultural developments, such as the new Museum of Islamic Arts, the Cultural Village, the expansion of the National Museum and other projects that are in the pipeline.”

Culture and tradition are areas that resorts and hotels are keeping in mind. The Al Sharq Village is named after the fishing village that was originally on the site of the 174-room hotel, which also boasts the largest spa in the Middle East at 6,500 square meters. “The name came from His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, and was never negotiable. So it is not only a different

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B' C H I L L E D name but has a history to it, particularly for Qataris, who have great memories of here, and if you look at this hotel you feel you are in Qatar,” said Vetry.

Such considerations are a reason why The New York Times (NYT) named Qatar “the Cultural Destination of the Year 2009.” The newspaper’s widely read weekend edition also ranked Qatar as destination No. 9 in the “Where to go in 2009” list, describing Doha as a new arts capital in the Middle East.

The award follows a year rich in outstanding cultural events, with the opening of the Museum of Islamic Arts, the first performances of the philharmonic orchestra, and the announcement of the Tribeca Film Festival by Robert De Niro, coming to Doha in November 2009.

As the only GCC country ranked in the NYT’s 44-destination list, Qatar is described as the “arts hub” of the Middle East, combining tradition with modern creativity. The report also highlighted the contemporary arts gallery in the traditional Souq Waqif.

“We are delighted that our cultural pride has been recognized internationally. Qatar doesn’t want to be an entertainment destination, rather an outstanding cultural destination, where Arab culture can dialogue with other civilizations,” said Al Nuaimi.

“Qatar is a place where people see things differently, where citizens embrace new ideas and welcome visitors as honoured guests and dear friends.

And being this cultural bridge makes Qatar really different. That’s the unique Qatari appeal to our culture

The $9billion New Doha International Airport (NDIA) will be able to handle a staggering 50 million passengers a year

and traditions: we are proud of our rich past, but do not lock it up behind a static show window. We make all of our traditions alive, by getting them interconnected with the modern world and other cultures,” he added.

But while Qatar is keeping an eye on its past, it is also striving to provide cutting-edge luxury tourism facilities and resorts. The multibillion dollar real estate projects of Lusail and the Pearl are at the heart of this drive. The 35-square kilometre Lusail project will house a $3 billion Entertainment City, which will include four resorts as well as themed housing and condominiums.

The $10 billion Pearl development, located 350 meters off the coastline, will add 30 kilometres of beach to Qatar’s shoreline, and house 35.000 residents, three luxury hotels and four marinas. Other hotels include the Holiday Hotel Villa and Residence with 358 rooms, the Marriot Courtyard with 204 rooms, the Hilton with 310 rooms, and the Shangri La with 271 rooms.

The W Hotel is also at the forefront of this effort.

“W Doha will set the standard for modern luxury accommodation in the city, offering residents all the benefits and amenities that come with being connected to the W brand,” said Guvenc of the hotel’s 291 rooms and suites. “W Doha will offer a level of design, energy and style that does not yet exist in Qatar while giving our guests access to some of the most authentic and treasured elements of the city, including shopping in traditional souks.”

CHALLENGING GROWTH

Sharq Village & Spa

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Such unprecedented growth in the hospitality and tourism sector has created a huge demand for human resources to man hotels and resorts, with talent coming from all over the world.

At the Sharq Village, the general manager is an American while the 325 employees come from 55 different countries. “This hotel has been run for one year and has the lowest employee turnover in the city,” said Vetry. “Businesses focus on hiring people but we focus on retaining people so our emphasis is appreciation and value what you have today. We have just conducted our annual employee satisfaction survey and scored 86% after two months being open, which is phenomenal.”

Al Nuaimi is confident that the demand for human resources will not present a problem. “Most of the new hotels are part of international groups and all have

B' C H I L L E D programs in place to bring new staff and to train them according to their requirements. QTEA supports this by regulating the industry based on international training standards,” he said.

Another challenge for the region’s hotels is that of the “green revolution.” With governments and private real estate developers embracing eco-friendliness, the hotel and hospitality management cannot lag behind.

With Hollywood celebrities even talking about building eco-friendly hotels in the Gulf, the ecological footprint of the region’s hotel sector is increasingly under the spotlight. Indeed, 5-star hotels in the UAE are producing twice the amount of CO2 as their European counterparts. In response to the ecological challenge, hotels like the Doha Marriott have called on their employees to make a positive impact on the environment through recycling programs, educating staff on environmental issues and assisting in understanding the cause while at the same time not impacting on guest services. The hotel has managed to save millions of liters of water and energy, and is minimizing the impact of detergents onto the environment.

For the time being, Qatar is hoping to rise in the ranks of the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Competitive Index, which ranked Qatar 37 out of 130 countries in 2008. But growth is not being done hastily, or with only an eye on pure numbers, as Ahmed Al Nuaimi pointed out: “The target is not volume related, it is not mass market. The leisure sector is gradually growing as the infrastructure further develops.

Despite the growth and various developments, Qatar is maintaining a balance and is careful in preserving its identity, culture and past.”

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A BOOMING INDUSTRY Although the global hotel industry achieves positive year-on-year growth in average daily rates and revenues per room, the Middle East/Africa region is the only one not to experience drops in occupancy, according to STR Global data. And this is despite the fact that the Middle East keeps building new hotels and has a record number of projects in the pipeline.

According to a report by Lodging Economics (LE), the global authority for hotel real estate, at the end of 2007 there were 527 projects underway with over 150,000 rooms. “There has been a tremendous surge in the development pipeline, particularly in Qatar, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia and Oman. World-class, master planned communities – luxurious beachfront resorts and residential developments, business and financial centers, modern new airports and tax-free business and industrial zones – are providing oncein-a-lifetime opportunities for developers, investors, global lodging brands, architectural and design firms, and suppliers to the industry,” said Patrick Ford, President of LE. The boom in hotel construction, which started in the mid-1990s and has never looked back, also caused a similar explosive development in the need for qualified hotel and hospitality personnel, drawing the graduates of the best hotel and hospitality schools throughout the world to the Gulf.

“In a region that is focusing on growth, efficiency and excellence, the hospitality industry needs to follow,” said Guido E. De Wilde, Vice President & Regional Director Middle East of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

B' CULTURED

A Work Of Art ...

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Adrian Haddad

... To Host A World Of Arts

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Adrian Haddad

B' CULTURED

Abdullah al-Najjar, CEO of Museum of Islamic Art

Q

atar’s Museum of Islamic Art, I.M. Pei’s last architectural masterpiece, is to host the world’s leading collection of Islamic art.

The museum, which opened last year to much fanfare, is likely to do for Doha what the Guggenheim Museum did for Bilbao and the Opera House did for Sydney. Designed by the renowned Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei, the museum is set to become an architectural icon of international allure, while bringing together a top-notch art collection spanning 13 centuries and three continents.

Rising from the sea and connected to Doha’s main boulevard by a 60-meter-long walkway, the museum consists of a series of distinctive white cubes. Blended into this modernist design are more traditional elements such as a dome, courtyard and arched windows, which add elegance to the structure. The stone-clad museum is composed of a five-storey main building and a two-storey education wing. The main building is topped by a 50-meter-high central domed atrium, dominated by an enormous glass wall offering a superb view on Doha and the Persian Gulf.

On display there is a vast variety of artefacts originating from Islamic Andalusia in modern Spain to Mughal Delhi in India. Among the museum’s highlights are a 10th century brass planispheric astrolabe that was used for astronomical and topographic calculations, a 14th silk chessboard carpet from the

128 | Qatar 2009

period of Tamerlane, and a decree of the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.

The museum is one step further towards the Emir’s vision to shape Qatar into an educational and cultural hub that will contribute to end misconceptions about Islam and help to build bridges between the West and the East. “Islam is not terrorism and Islam is not fundamentalist actions. Islam is also about art, for sure,” said Abdulla al-Najjar, director of the Islamic Art Museum. “The museum hosts a unique collection from different parts of the world that represent a period of 1400 years and by being able to show the collection to the world I am sure it will contribute to change the perception of Islam.”

Built under the patronage of Emir Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the museum is the flagship project among five museums being built by the Qatar Museums Authority. In addition to playing host to a core of Islamic art and artefacts, the museum will be home to a library, auditorium, five-star restaurant and a marina that provides access for visitors arriving by boat.

According to Najjar the project aims to create an international research center for students, scholars and visitors from around the world to share the history and culture of Islamic art. It should be noted that the museum has been largely completed for some time.

The museum will help to end misconceptions about Islam

B' CULTURED Britain’s Prince Charles was given a tour during his 2007 visit to Qatar, while in May 2008, a press conference took place in the British Museum in London, one of the Islamic Art Museum’s main strategic partners.

Professor Oliver Watson, an internationally acclaimed expert in the field of Islamic art, was appointed museum director. Watson will be heading a staff of some 160 employees, having previously worked as Assistant Keeper for Islamic Art and Head of the Ceramics Department at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Keeper of Eastern Art at the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford University. He has also published extensively on Persian and Islamic ceramics.

PEI’S LAST MASTERPIECE The design of the Islamic Art Museum is the brainchild of one of the most influential architects of our time, Leoh Ming Pei. Born in 1917 the son of a Chinese banker, Pei left for the USA in 1935 to study architecture. Having established his own firm in 1960, Pei became one of the defining members within the school of American modernism, which is characterized by a blend of functionality and transparency, grandeur and power.

Among his most well known buildings are the Place Ville Marie in Montreal, the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, and the glass pyramid facing the Louvre in Paris.

In 1983, IM Pei received the prestigious Pritzker Prize, “the Nobel Prize for architecture,” an honour he shares with such architectural heavyweights as Frank Gehry, Renze Piano and Kenzo Tange.

Currently aged 91, Pei reportedly only agreed to return from retirement and design Qatar’s Islamic Art Museum on the condition that the Qatari authorities agreed to locate the museum on a reclaimed island off the coast of Doha.

With Qatar readily agreeing to his demands, the museum today functions as the city’s ultimate welcoming feature, much like the Sydney Opera House, while its marine location prevents it from being swallowed by future urban developments.

To reach his final design, Pei traveled to some of the Islamic World’s most praised architectural designs, including the Grand Mosque of Cordoba in Spain, the

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Ummayad Mosque in Damascus, the Ibn Tulun Mosque in Cairo, Fatehpur Sikri, a former Mughal capital in India, as well as the brick fortresses of Sousse and Montasir in Tunisia.

The Islamic Art Museum is not the only museum to open its doors within the Gulf region. Qatar has four

ISLAMIC ART The landmark museum will mainly, but not solely, showcase Islamic artifacts that Qatar’s royal family has been collecting over the years, which includes metal works, ceramics, carpets, jewellery, wood and ivory carvings.

Contrary to what many people believe, Islamic art is not necessarily religious art. Generally, it is broadly defined as “all arts and crafts produced from the 7th century onward within lands and societies that are culturally nominated as Islamic.” Consequently, Islamic art can very well be secular. In addition, Islamic art is by no means monolithic, as it covers many different eras, empires and a part of the globe that roughly stretches from Spain and Mauritania in the West to Indonesia in the Far East.

As a general rule, it is forbidden by Islamic law to depict God, humans or animals, as reproductions may result in idolatry. Consequently, Islamic art is often characterized by the use of geometric, arabesque, floral and calligraphic patterns. As God may not be depicted, the arabesque form indicates the transcendent and infinite nature of the divine.

However, exceptions on the rule exist, depending on the interpretation of Islamic law in certain times and places.

Persia and India for example have long had strong painting traditions featuring humans and animals. Arguably influenced by Chinese and Hindu traditions, there are numerous miniature paintings of Muslim royalty hunting, waging war or simply enjoying court life.

The wide variety of artistic expressions that fall under the common nominator “Islamic art,” is arguably best symbolized by the rich tradition of oriental carpet weaving. Although carpets have been woven carpets have grown particularly famous. As most of them were woven in Islamic lands and as such belong to the realm of Islamic art, the differences between them are enormous, as each region and each tribe have

Adrian Haddad

Built on an island, the museum is the city’s ultimate welcoming feature

more museums underway while the Emirate of Abu Dhabi is to open offshoots of the Guggenheim and Louvre museums, designed by Frank Gehry and Jean Novel respectively. Dubai has recently opened several galleries and lured the auction houses of Sotheby’s and Christie’s to the city.

Qatar 2009 | 131

their own particular style. The simple black and red carpets made of camel hair by Syrian Bedouins can hardly compared by the richly decorated silk carpets decorated by Persian craftsmen.

Generally, two main designs can be observed: geometrical and floral. Yet some medieval Persian carpets depict leopards and dragons. The designs are not just decorative, but symbolic. In the rugs of Eastern Turkey for example, rams and horns symbolize strength and courage, fruits such as the pomegranate symbolize fertility, while earrings stand for marriage.

It should also be emphasized that the world of Islamic art is not sealed off but in constant communication with societies around it. Local traditions had a great influence on artistic expressions and architecture in for example Islamic sub-Saharan

Adrian Haddad

Director of the Museum of Islamic Arts, Professor Dr. Oliver Watson

Adrian Haddad

B' CULTURED

Earl Roger Mandle, Executive Director of Qatar Museums Authority

Africa, while China and Central Asia were a great source of inspiration for Persian and Mughal art.

Some modern art in its turn was greatly influenced

by Islamic art.

Take the colorful two-dimensional works of French painter Henri Matisse, which were greatly inspired by Moroccan floral patterns. This should not come as a surprise. As so many European artists and writers, the artist spent one a year on the coast of Tangier in search of inspiration in the rich and wonderful world of “the Orient.”

The Master Renowned architect IM Pei had retired in 1990 following a lifetime of designing some of the world’s most famous modernist buildings.

But despite his age – he is now 91 – Qatar was able to convince Pei to come out of retirement to design the Museum of Islamic Arts. The end result was a modernist exterior and an interior strongly influenced by Islamic architecture. In a similar way to Pei’s Bank of China tower in Hong Kong, the museum has come to represent the future face of Qatar, but without the

132 | Qatar 2009

controversy the bank caused when it was completed in 1989.

As the then tallest building in Hong Kong, the bank symbolized the coming transfer of power from the British to the Chinese in 1997, with the bold lines and height of the building raising eyebrows among the British.

But it was from local practitioners of Feng Shui that the building was controversial, for the sharp lines made the tower’s profile appear like

a meat cleaver, and the X shapes that crisscross the façade giving negative connotations. The Museum of Islamic Arts on the other hand symbolizes the bold direction Qatar is taking the country while reflecting the glory of Qatar’s, and the region’s Islamic heritage.

In addition to playing host to a core of Islamic art and artefacts, the museum will be home to a library, auditorium, five-star restaurant and a marina

Qatar 2009 | 133

B'F I T

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atar has embarked on a diversification plan that goes way beyond diversifying the economy away from energy. Sports is at the forefront of plans to not only make the populace a healthier one but also put the country on the map as a hub for professional sports in the Middle East, from athletics, tennis and golf, to bidding for the Soccer World Cup and the Olympic Games.

136 | Qatar 2009

Over the last decade, Qatar has liberally spent on sports facilities to foster a growing presence on the international sports circuit, which started in 1992 when Qatar national Mohammed Sulaiman won a bronze medal in the 1500 meters at the Barcelona Olympics

Mohammed, 14, dreams of becoming a professional tennis player. He knows that his hero, Roger Federer, will be difficult to emulate, but he lives in one of the world’s best possible countries to try and achieve his dream. Scarcely three hours after his prayers at dawn, Mohammed goes to the ASPIRE Sports Academy and starts intensive physical and mental training.

The ASPIRE Academy for Sports Excellence is a specialized educational facility that boasts the best training and sports science facilities to be found anywhere in the world.

Despite his “tennis elbow,” Mohammed perfects his tennis in the mornings and the evenings, and inbetween training attends the ASPIRE school in the afternoon. Education is seen as an integral part of the

academy, covering a range of subjects from Arabic literature and English to IT and sports science.

Behind Mohammed’s dream is a team of experts from all corners of the planet, in addition to the stateof-the-art sports facilities. “Our program includes not only champions in sports but champions for sports.

We teach sporting knowledge and therefore not only do we have top athletes but also graduates with knowledge and skills in their specific areas,” said Dr. Dieter Hackfort, Dean of ASPIRE and a world-famous sport scientist as well as President of the International Society of Sport Psychology.

Since ASPIRE was established in 2004, the academy has sought out and trained up world class athletes, screening nearly 100% of the Qatari population to find the 3% - some 60 to 100 per age group – that could be future global sports champions. Three years after opening its doors, ASPIRE had its first medal when student Waleed Al-Sharshani, 16, became the first Qatari to win a medal in sailing at the Asian Games. Others will no doubt follow Al-Sharshani.

FOR A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE Medals and titles are not the only goal of the academy. Aspire is just one step more towards the Emir’s dream of instilling a healthier lifestyle in Qatari society and making the country a sports hub of the Middle East, and the world. “With Qatar’s population registering a growth of almost 50% every five years and with a considerable portion of the number being young people, it becomes absolutely necessary for the country to create a healthy sporting and fitness environment,”

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Adrian Haddad

B'F I T

Sheikh Abdulrahman Saoud Al Thani, Secretary General Qatar Olympic Committee

said Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) secretary general Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, at a workshop at the Qatar Exhibition Center.

The QOC’s strategic plan to 2010 has six priority areas: sports education and participation, athletic pathways development, sport and leisure facilities, hosting international events, sports management,

promotion and publicity. “Qatar will strive to extend the best possible help to our sportsmen by providing them state-of-the-art facilities that match the best in the world and create venues that are capable of sustaining themselves through commercial activities,” said Sheikh Saoud.

Over the last decade, Qatar has spent liberally on sports facilities to foster a growing presence on the international sports circuit, which started in 1992 when Qatar national Mohammed Sulaiman won a bronze medal in the 1500 meters at the Barcelona Olympics.

UNRIVALLED VENUES AND EVENTS: ON THE ROAD TO 2020 OLYMPIC BID Other than the ASPIRE Sports Dome, a colossal multi-use sports complex that includes an Olympic-size swimming pool, there is the Al-Arabi Sports Club, AlGharrafa Sports Club, Qatar Sports Club and the Khalifa Olympic City. This city comprises the 45,000 seat Khalifa Stadium and the Khalifa International Complex for Tennis and Squash, which includes 17 courts.

But the country accounts for a large number of sport federations of every type complemented with the Doha Sailing Club and the Doha Golf Club, which hosts the annual Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. The tournament was established in 1998 and together with the Dubai Desert Classic and Abu Dhabi Golf Championship is one of the Three European Tour golf tournaments of the Gulf.

Although it had a modest start, last January, the twelfth stage of the PGA European Tour event included some of the most famous professional golfers as world no. 2 Sergio Garcia and Alvaro Quiros, who finally won the $2.5 million prize fund.

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Doha Golf Club

B'F I T

Such events together with the transformation of the desert land into a magnificent oasis have boosted the popularity of the sport in Qatar, to the extent that more courses are needed. “Doha Golf Club has on its own created a requirement in Qatar for more golf courses because we are now over-subscribed in terms of the numbers of members,” said Chris Myers, General Manager of the Doha Golf Club. “Most people want to just pay and play golf and we physically don’t have enough space in the golf course to let everyone play, so I know that the government now intends to build more golf courses and we hope in the next two to three years that you’ll see plenty of developments in regard.”

The Club seats on a 150 hectare site and boasts an 18 hole Championship Course, a 9 hole Academy Course, 8 artificial lakes and a beautiful clubhouse designed in

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old traditional Arabic style, which has been located at one of the highest points on the course.

As more infrastructures is put in place and spending keeps rising, more Qataries are starting to be part of the international sports elite. Qatar was the first Middle Eastern country to stage a Motorcycle Grand Prix in 2004 at the $58 million Lusail International Race Circuit, and has gone onto become a major contender in international motorized events, whether at the Qatar Rally or further afield. Earlier this year, Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah, driving for BMW, competed to win the first stage of the ArgentinaDakar Rally 2009. January 2009 also saw Qatar lift the Gulf Cup Basketball Championship, defeating hosts Oman 87 - 47.

Much of the $2.8 billion Qatar invested in

THE BEST TENNIS IN THE WORLD COMES TO TOWN

Andrew Stevens, CEO of Qatar Commercial Bank

infrastructure projects and 40 sports venues for the Doha Asian Games in 2006 has clearly started to pay off.

“When Qatar hosted the Asian Games this was the first major tournament at that kind of level; basically what it did was prove not only to the rest of the world, but to the Qataris that they are capable of hosting such a big event, and I think that what it did to the country in general is that it motivated all of the other sports federations to host as many big tournaments as they can,” said Myers.

Soccer has equally taken off, with 20 clubs in the country, 10 in the top league, the Q-league, and a host of big foreign names playing for the teams. One Qatari player, Hussein Yasser, plays in the Portuguese league, while Khalfan Ibrahim became the first Qatari to win the Asian Football Confederation player of the year award in 2007 at just 18 years old. The national team has also had some success, ranked 58 in FIFA’s World Rankings and dreaming of participating in the Soccer World Cup. But Qatar doesn’t want to just participate, it also wants to host the 2018 World Cup, with the bidding process slated to get underway in early 2010.

But while most Qatari men are huge soccer fans, tennis is gaining in popularity, bolstered by the Qatar Sony Ericsson Open, the most popular tennis tournament in the region. “Tennis has become very popular as many top ranked players have been here.

People have seen great tennis stars that have played in the Qatar Open like Boris Becker, Pete Sampras or Stefan Edberg, and are getting used to enjoying this great level of tennis. This has encouraged Qataris to become tennis fans and to add the Qatar Open to their annual calendars,” said Karim Alami, Tournament Director of the Qatar Sony Ericsson Open.

Past players have included Roger Federer, Goran Ivanisevic, Thomas Muster, Jim Courier, Peter Korda and Marcelo Rios. Rafael Nadal participated in the 2009 ExxonMobil Open but was surprisingly beaten by France’s Gael Monfils although won the doubles with fellow Spaniard Marc Lopez.

Qatar is hoping that the Qatar Tennis Federation (QTF) run tennis school, with 600 boys, will produce a future champion. “The best 18 of them will go to the Smash Academy and will be trained by experienced trainers from all over the world whom we have recruited to come and train these elite few. We also have a couple of players from abroad who are bringing consistency to our tennis.

There is nothing like this in the region,” explained Jorge Salkeld, the Tournaments Mangaging Director.

There has already been success for the QTF, with many Qataris among the top tennis players globally under 14 years old. “We didn’t have this a decade ago.

Qatar is well on the way to having, in 10 or 15 years, a player that will be amongst the best in the world. We are building a good system like that of Spain or other great tennis countries,” stated Alami.

In 2001, Qatar became the first country in the Middle East to hold a women’s tennis tournament, the Qatar Open for Women. Furthermore, from 2008 to 2010 Doha

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B'F I T

will host the Women Sony Ericsson Masters. The country also became the first Middle Eastern country to procure, organize and host a tournament in another country, with the QTF acquiring the Tier 1 Berlin Open from the German Tennis Federation in 2007, the Qatar Telecom German Open.

The QTF has been instrumental in raising the popularity of tennis in Qatari schools and on the court, hosting three international WTA and ATP tournaments every year. “The Qatar Tennis Federation continues to organize world-class tournaments both at home and abroad. The professional organization of the annual international WTA/ATP tournaments in Doha and Berlin demonstrates why Qatar is at forefront of the tennis world,” said Hassan Ali Bin Ali, one of the founders of the QTF, at the Berlin Open.

Such world-class sports events have put Qatar on the map, but the sky is the limit and Qatar is now bidding to host the 2020 Olympic Games. It won’t be easy though.

Despite speculation that Doha’s strong bid for the 2016 games would be successful, Doha was eliminated from consideration when it failed to make the candidate city shortlist in June, 2008.

Not only will Doha now have to compete against tough rivals like Rome, Prague, Kuala Lumpur and Cape Town, but they will also have to persuade the Olympic Committee that the Games can be held in Qatar’s sweltering heat. “We were not happy about the result of the 2016 bid, but this could happen

Qatar now hosts 27 sports competitions a year

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with any country,” said Al Thani, the QOC secretary general. “We will keep trying and this is what Madrid and China did. The time that Qatar suggested was not a suitable one, in October, as they prefer July or August to organize the Olympics. We will insist because it is difficult to compete in high degrees, but now our aim is 2020.”

Dr Anisa Al-Hitmi, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee for Women’s Sports, who is on the Board of Directors for the Doha 2020 bid, said hosting the Olympics in Doha would provide an opportunity for unprecedented sports development in the Arab world and a unique opportunity for social development.

“The Games would bring positive social, economic and political changes, including the further strengthening of the position of women in society,” she said.

The 2006 Doha Asian Games had such a boon for Qatari society. Since the Games were held, the number of women competing in sport at elite levels in Qatar has risen significantly. “I know from all international federations that women’s participation is less than 30%,” said Al-Thani. “In Qatar we started in 2000 and now we have more than 14 sports federations with women competitors, but we don’t want to force women to play sport. We want them to choose the sport they are comfortable with.”

THE PRIVATE SECTOR JUMPS IN, A SMART PARTNERSHIP The involvement of the private sector has been essential to make sports in Qatar more viable, as well as profitable. With that in mind the government created the Qatar Sports Investment Company (QSi) to act as the commercial arm of the QOC, studying the

B'F I T commercial viability of sports events and developing its own commercial projects so that it can bring profits back into the sports sector. QSI has already invested in a number of prime facilities such as the mixed residential and commercial $178 million Khaleej Land Development and has two projects underway with a combined value of QR 1,267 million, the Taj Exotica Golf & Spa Resort, a luxury spa and hotel development, and the Doha Golf Club.

“We look at sport in many ways, not only in terms of competing and getting results, but we also think of it as business because it attracts tourism and business to the country,” said Al Thani.

Private businesses such as the Commercial Bank and Sony Ericsson have also got in on the act, sponsoring the country’s major sporting events, which is crucial to attract world-class athletes, as they are offer prize purses in the millions of dollars for event winners.

Sports in Qatar are not all about money however. It is also a part of the culture and a state of mind important for the development of its people. “The international community is creating the Youth Olympic Games, but in Qatar we have created what is called the Schools of Olympic Games, because we want to focus on our people. We think that this is the best way to educate the kids who are the future of this country. We are now hosting 27 competitions, and we try to attract the best events to put Qatar on the map, not only for our oil and gas, which are natural resources and will end,” said Al Thani.

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The Games would bring positive social, economic and political changes, including the further strengthening of the position of women in society

Annual sports exhibitions organized by the Qatar Expo are also highlighting the growth of sports, selling equipment and providing a platform for professional players to sign contracts in soccer and basketball. “In 2008, the Qatar Olympic Committee signed contracts worth more than $6 million inside the exhibition. They have already signed contracts with exhibitors worth $5.5 million for the November 2009 Expo,” said Walid Wahba, former Director of Qatar Expo.

Qatar also has the region’s first specialized orthopedic and sports medicine hospital, Aspetar, designed to provide the best possible treatment to athletes of all abilities.

The hospital meets international standards in its treatment of orthopedic problems and athletic injuries and uses the latest technology to guide patients through rehabilitation to complete recovery. Aspetar’s staff is composed of leading experts in fitness, nutrition and training techniques to help athletes maximize their performance both in training and competition.

B' H E A L T H Y

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“T

he health of the nation” is a regularly used expression by bureaucrats and politicians around the world when talking about the need for a boost in the healthcare budget or urging the public to live a healthier lifestyle. But it is rare to actually see such calls being put into action, with a generous budget allocated to improve both healthcare and a population’s health.

Qatar, as on so many fronts, is such an exception.

As part of the country’s vision for the future, Qatar has embarked on a number of healthcare projects and facilities, medical research is to get underway, and sports is being heavily funded. Specialized medical equipment is already being manufactured and doctors are being trained at the Qatari campus of Weill Cornell University in Qatar (WCU-Q).

Furthermore, the government earmarked $2.5 billion, or 9.6% of the last annual budget, for healthcare and social services projects.

Such liberal funding, topped up by billions of dollars being spent on facilities and other initiatives, is part of Qatar’s drive to become a hub for healthcare in the

146 | Qatar 2009

Middle East. In addition, the government is responding to the changing face of the country, with the population nearly doubling in a decade to 1.5 million, and expected to double again to 3 million in the next three years. This means a pressing need for a lot more hospitals and beds, with Qatar to double the number of hospital beds to 2,000 within five years as healthcare infrastructure projects are completed.

A task on such a scale is more than a government can achieve single-handed. Public-private partnerships and private sector initiatives are now becoming the norm in Qatar, as for the whole of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, which is projected to increase direct health spending by 300% to $60 billion by

Orthopaedic Hospital at Khalifa Stadium, project by Davis Langdon

Orthopaedic Hospital

Also in

2025, compared with $15 billion in 2008, according to consultants McKinsey & Company.

RESHAPING THE SECTOR To face the growing demands on the healthcare sector, Qatar established the National Health Authority (NHA) to oversee improvements to the state-run system, regulate the private and public sectors, and steer healthcare towards total privatization. As a result, Qatar will have to shake up the healthcare system, which for the last 30 years has provided free healthcare for citizens and subsidised treatment of expatriate workers.

Under new plans expatriates, who make up the majority of the populace, will be required to have compulsory health insurance.

“They are not trying to make money out of the expatriates, they are trying to support them. Expats pay only 5% of their medicine, which is very reasonable.

When it comes to operations, they try to help as much as they can if expats can’t afford treatment,” said Zuhdi Jaouni, director of Ali Bin Ali Medical, a division of the Ali Bin Ali Group that imports state of the art medical

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and surgical equipment.

“Such a change to the system has to be handled diligently”, said Abdulwahed Abdullah Al-Mawlawi, Managing Director of Al Ahli Hospital. “A lot of ground work needs to be covered. With a population that is used to being spoon-fed by the government, and companies having to pay, it could have a lot of ramifications and needs to be dealt with carefully,” he reaffirmed. “We need to co-opt ideas and adapt them for Qatar.”

The Al Ahli Hospital is a sterling example of the direction Qatar is taking the healthcare system. A multiphase, private development of up to 350-beds, the hospital appears more like a hotel in its interior, design and approach to treating not patients, but rather what they call “guests”. And with the latest state-of-theart facilities and hiring top end staff from around the world, Al Mawlawi said Al Ahli Hospital in the next five years will outrank the Mayo Clinic as the premier global healthcare facility.

It is the state-run Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) however that handles the bulk of the country’s patients through its six hospitals, and new hospitals under construction, such as Al Wakrah Hospital. The HMC has also undertaken the largest healthcare project of its kind in the country, the Hamad Medical City, a 450,000 meter site that will have 700 beds, 200 medical staff and a residence to house 2500 nurses when completed in 2011. With the HMC expanding at such a rate, the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) was established last year to help decentralize the healthcare system and run the country’s 21 health centers, as well as develop wellness centers.

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Other initiatives in Qatar are also improving the healthcare system, with the Supreme Council of Information and Communications Technology (ictQATAR) partnering with the NHA and HMC to develop an integrated national health information platform.

This will include electronic health records on the whole population, replacing increasingly antiquated paper filing systems, and enable health facilities to share and have access to patients information through the national network. Being introduced gradually, e-health records are expected to be accessible by 80% of clinicians by 2010.

The $7.9 billon Sidra Medical and Research Center at the Qatar Foundation has been designed and built with these technological considerations in mind.

To be opened in 2011, the center will be an all digital facility, being wireless, film-less and virtually paperless. Sidra will also act as incubator for medical research, which has already begun at the HMC, and use advanced technologies such as robotics, computeraided surgery, and digital imaging.

$2.5 billion will to be spent on healthcare projects in 2009

BECOMING THE HEALTH HUB OF THE GULF Such facilities will bolster Qatar’s position as a healthcare center for the region, which is being complemented by the Weill Cornell Medical College at the Qatar Foundation’s Education City. The first branch of any American medical school outside of the USA, 15 medical students graduated from Weill Cornell last year while the premedical program is expected to expand to 60 over the next few years.

Such figures are far from the number of doctors, in addition to nursing staff, that the new healthcare facilities will require. But educational institutions are rising to the task by offering a wider range of courses, while the NHA is seeking to raise the number of Qataris employed in the sector to ease reliance on expatriate

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Qatari German Hospital

Qatari German Hospital

Qatari German Hospital

B' H E A L T H Y

doctors and nurses. In the short to medium term, the HMC is sponsoring foreign nationals’ medical studies under the condition that graduates stay on in Qatar for a set period of time.

WESTERN QUALITY, EASTERN PRICE When the Qatar Development Bank granted a loan to Hazem Al Sharif’s business it couldn´t have imagined how right its decision was, as it paved the way for the Qatari German Company of Medical Devices (QGMD) to become the lead exporter of medical devices in the Middle East.

Specialized in the manufacturing of high quality medical devices such as IV Catheter, Standard Syringes and Safety Syringes that are traded under the brand names of Q-JECT, Q-SAFE, Q-FLOW and Q-NEED, the company has emerged as the region’s largest manufacturer and exporter in just six years. “Qatar Development Bank supported this idea since the very beginning,” said Hazem Al Sharif, Managing Director of QGMD. As a subsidiary of the government, the main role of the Qatar Development Bank is to support the diversification of the economy away from oil and gas.

“In our case, they were hunting for ideas for the medical devices as the health sector is one of the priorities of the Government and we started talks with a German company. Now we own the patent for safety syringes worldwide,” said Al Sharif.

Ali Bin Ali Hospital - Robot

B' H E A L T H Y

Zuhdi Jaouni, General Manager of Ali Bin Ali Medical

One year after operations started, the company embarked on an expansion plan to boost production and diversify. Shareholders met this strategy by increasing the existing capital by 100% with a premium per share that was 18 times over what QGMD required.

“We were definitely lucky as Qatar is strategically located geographically in the middle between the East and the West, with some of the cheapest energy of the world and the land provided by the government tax free. Quality of the West and prices of the East, this summarizes who we are. We try to achieve high quality in a low price formula”, added Al Sharif.

The company was established with an IPO in 2002 and the building of the plant. The initial phase started with safety syringes, traditional syringes and needles, and by the end of 2006 they started commercial production and achieved all the certifications and accreditations needed for the plant. Now QGMD exports 95% of its production to Germany, Russia, Pakistan, Kuwait, Libya, South Africa, Iraq, and the GCC countries. The next plan is to expand into the US market. “We are an export oriented company and so we are thankful to be able use the role of Qatar as a leader in the Middle East, as they have good relationships not only with the surrounding countries but worldwide,” said Al Sharif.

BRINGING ONLY THE BEST The medical equipment sector is a direct beneficiary of Qatar’s healthcare expansion, with the Qatari government not holding back when it comes to introducing the latest medical equipment. “There is always the conditions of the government that we always have to deliver the latest version, and we always bring high-end equipment, from the needles to robotics,”

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said Jaouni of Ali Bin Ali (ABA) Medical.

The government’s insistence on bringing the best equipment has placed Qatar among the world’s most advanced users of medical technology and resources.

“The hospitals have state of the art equipment, like Hamad hospitals. When it comes to the calibre of the staff, they have well known and highly qualified doctors,” said Jaouni.

Established and managed by Jaouni since 1998, ABA Medical’s main activities are the importation, distribution, promotion and maintenance of international medical and dental brands in Qatar, such as Siemens, Cosmomed, Dentsply, Intuitive Surgical, Kodak, Medtronic, Schmitz, and Unimed. ABA Medical shares the rich legacy of the Ali Bin Ali Group, one of the largest retail and distribution companies in the country, which has a long-standing history of successful partnerships with the world’s leading brands across a diverse range of business activities.

Over the last five years, ABA Medical has achieved outstanding sales results and their market share is over 75% in Qatar. For Jaouni, the crucial element in this success has been the company’s dedicated sales team and its group of highly qualified engineers for aftersales service.

Because of the strength of the education sector in the country, Jaouni is optimistic about Qatar’s health care system future. “Qatar will become the hub of the Middle East in healthcare, especially the government hospital, Hamad, where they are not only aiming to provide health services but also to be involved in research as well as education. And this is with the cooperation of the Qatar Foundation with the assistance of Weill Cornell, and in the future the Sidra Medical and Research Center,” said Jaouni.

Over the last five years, ABA Medical has achieved outstanding sales results reaching a share of over 75%

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The Qatar Foundation has become one of the premier educational hubs of the Middle East, and with the opening of the Sidra Medical and Research Center in 2012, Qatar will have one of the top academic medical centers in the world.

Backed with $7.9 billion, the largest financial endowment ever for an institution of its kind, Sidra will be at the cutting edge of science, technology and biomedicine. An all digital facility, incorporating the most advanced IT applications in all clinical, research and business functions, the center will be wireless, film-less and virtually paperless. This includes the use of advanced technologies such as robotics, computeraided surgery and diagnostics, and digital imaging more advanced than 3D. Representing the vision of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al–Thani and Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al–Missned, Sidra will provide patients with world class healthcare services in an innovative and ultra modern facility specially designed to promote healing.

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“The scope and breadth of the project is visionary: a full, academic medical center based on the best international health facilities,” said Daniel Bergin, Sidra’s Executive Project Director. “It is a very ambitious scheme and offers our project team and future employees a once in a lifetime opportunity to be engaged in one of this region’s boldest health care projects.”

To be located in Doha on Qatar Foundation’s 2,500-acre Education City campus, Sidra will employ more than 2000 clinicians, technologists, biomedical researchers and support staff.

In keeping with its mandate to provide world class clinical care, as well as medical education and biomedical research, Sidra will collaborate closely with Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar and has concluded affiliation agreement principles with the College regarding physician appointments. Sidra will collaborate as well with others in Qatar’s health sector, such as the Ministry of Health and Hamad Medical Corporation. The diversity and quality of care planned at Sidra will contribute to training medical students

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and highly skilled clinicians and will be a pioneer in clinical and translational research of value to Qatar and the world.

Sidra’s biomedical research will be developed through external collaboration with leading research institutions worldwide. It is intended that research programs begin before Sidra officially opens in 2012.

According to Bergin, “the intention has been to establish “pre-Sidra” research programs at Hamad Medical Corporation, so that by the time Sidra is ready to open, there are research programs which have undergone development.”

Every element of the Sidra project shows its world class nature, reflected in its ultra-modern, all digital luxury facility and architectural design by renowned architect Cesar Pelli.

Sidra has been specially designed to be a benchmark for healing environments throughout the world, emphasising the role the physical environment plays in the healing process. The center’s dramatic design and landscaping includes three spectacular atriums that serve as indoor healing gardens – a unique feature that all patients will be able to view from their rooms and that will allow them to benefit from fresh air during the cooler months. “The architects have tried to provide a very appealing, calm environment to take patient minds off being in a hospital,” said Bergin.

The architecture of Sidra Medical and Research Center combines cutting-edge technology with an incandescent design that both reflects and celebrates the sky. The building’s design of steel, glass and white

ceramic tiles, featuring three dramatic atria, will extend over approximately 300,000 square meters with separate buildings for the clinic, main hospital, parking garage and ancillary functions.

Sidra’s campus will also include accommodation for nurses and will be linked to Weill Cornell Medical College.

The $2.3-billion construction contract has been awarded to an international consortium including OHL and Contrack, and construction work has began on the Education city north campus, immediately east of the new National Convention Center on the main Dukhan highway.

Construction of the clinical building is expected to be completed in 2011 and will open with all services.

The complex, program and facility design work for Sidra Medical and Research Center is on schedule and progressing well. A notable achievement is the recent completion of Sidra’s schematic design, a key milestone in the project plan. The project team is now engaged in planning the intricate details of a variety of different functional areas, ranging from IT and administrative processes, to determining the extensive equipment requirement, and planning for the delivery of future clinical services.

Patient Room design, digital imaging and radiology, computerized pharmacy, laboratory, food services, materials management, security and housekeeping constitute a wide variety of support services, which are currently undergoing detailed planning to ensure that the medical center will provide health care services to world class standards.

Sidra’s project team has 137 full time employees and consultants engaged in the different aspects of the project.

With a $7.9 billion endowment, it is the largest in the world for an academic medical and research facility

Qatar 2009 | 153

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Al Ahli Hospital

GUESTS NOT PATIENTS

Al Ahli resembles a hotel far more than it does a a hospital, and there is not a patient in sight. This is not because Al Ahli is still under construction or due to the staff being on strike, Al Ahli Hospital just has a different philosophy from other medical institutions. It believes that patients are guests and while in their care, the guest and their family and friends should be treated as such.

There are no septic waiting rooms devoid of character, instead there are comfortable lounges amid greenery and fountains, and rather than a canteen there is a restaurant. Even the guest rooms look more like hotel rooms than those of a hospital, and we’ve not mentioned the royal suites.

Such a unique approach to healthcare is the brainchild of Abdulwahed Abdullah Al-Mawlawi, GM and CEO of Al Ahli Hospital. “I’ve turned around five companies, including the Commercial Bank of Qatar, but what I’ve done here is different from textbooks and what I’ve done in the past. Running a hospital isn’t brain surgery, it’s harder,” he said.

The first thing Al Mawlawi did was to redesign the hospital’s logo to make it in line with the hospital’s slogan, ‘The Pearl of Healthcare.’ The second was to

154 | Qatar 2009

look at the staff’s welfare.

“When I spent $2.5 million on the staff cafeteria I wanted to comfort our staff, as before it was so small it was depressing. So I immediately started to comfort employees, and had brain storming sessions with nurses to found out what they needed,” he said. “Employees are free entities without which you cannot have a hospital: you have your beds, patients - I don’t like that word - staff and shareholders, take one out and you don’t have Al Ahli. As I said to the board of directors, the number one priority is the guests, two the staff, and three the shareholders,” he added.

The original plan for Al Ahli was to build a 60 to 100 bed hospital that would not only adhere to international standards but be manned by Westerners. When the second phase of the project was started, the Emir of Qatar encouraged a general hospital of 250 beds to be established. “I hope we can move up to a 350 bed hospital, as by this time next year I hope 250 won’t be enough,” said Al Mawlawi.

In the two years that Al Ahli has been open, the hospital has grown in size, from 150 staff a year ago to 600 today. “When I came there were 14 doctors, now there are 66 and soon there will 120 doctors,” said Al

Al Ahli Hospital

Al Ahli Hospital

Mawlawi. Other expansion is underway.

“We will continue to open departments like orthopedic surgery, psychiatry, and IVF consultancy, and we will be augmenting across the board, vertically and horizontally, all different departments and providing additional sub-specialities, such as internal medicine.

Now we have two consultants and a few specialists, but will have six additional general consultants, and five sub-specialities: palmanology, indoctinrology, neurologolgy, mefrology, and romatology.

To man Al Ahli’s expanding facilities the hospital is scouting the world for top people in their field. A child diabetic specialist has recently been recruited along with the head of psychiatry from a 400-bed hospital in Germany and the Dean of Psychiatry at the American University of Beirut.

“We are getting into-sub specialities now, and we can claim to be the only hospital in Qatar that has a doctor with a PhD in adolescent medicine from the American board, which is a very new sub-speciality in America,” said Al Mawlawi. “We also have Professor Schmidt as a visiting consultant, who is the holder of the patent for gastro-banding in the world, and one of the top pioneers in Europe in microscopic surgery,” he added.

But getting appropriate human resources is nonetheless a challenge, said Al Mawlawi, a factor Qatar is experiencing across the board as the country develops at such a rapid pace.

Nevertheless, the hospital’s approach to healthcare is getting rave reviews from medical consultants from Europe and North America, calling Al Ahli a “jewel,” Al

Mawlawi said.

Further evidence of the direction Al Mawlawi is taking Al Ahli was reflected in the award he received in Geneva in June 2008, the International Gold Star Award for Quality. Considered the business world’s version of the Oscars, Al Ahli was the first hospital in the Middle East to receive such an honour.

Al Ahli is not resting on its laurels however, with Al Mawlawi implementing a system at the hospital to evaluate services. “Guests have been rating us excellent or very good. Their suggestions have helped us improve – as I told our staff, I don’t want to create a hospital that caters to their whims and priorities but that caters to the needs of the people. It is not what the doctors or nurses or management think we should be doing but what guests want,” he said.

Al Mawlawi has also asked the public to rate the hospital. “I really hope they undermine us and criticize us, and we will publish them in big letters. We will not act like an ostrich with our head in the ground, what you see is what you get here,” he said.

Al Ahli is also building bridges with top hospitals around the world, such as John Hopkins and the Mayo Clinic. “We are laying the groundwork for the real push forward in 2009 into the international arena,” said Al Mawlawi.

In the near future, Al Mawlawi said Al Ahli will be not only the pearl of healthcare in the Gulf, but also the world. As he told the regional representative of the Mayo Clinic: “All hospitals compare themselves to you but if I stay here, in 5-10 years time at the most, Mayo Clinic will compare itself to Al Ahli.”

Qatar 2009 | 155

B' H E A L T H Y Dialogue: Abdulwahed Abdullah Al-Mawlawi, GM and CEO of Al Ahli Hospital Q: What was the original plan for Al Ahli Hospital?

A: The original plan was to build a Western hospital in the Gulf, not just standard wise but manned by Westerners, of a 60 - 100 bed hospital. Then we entered the second phase, to have a much bigger project and we were encouraged by His Highness to develop a general hospital with all specialities with 250 beds. I hope we can move up to a 350 bed hospital, as by this time next year I hope 250 won’t be enough.

Q: Why do you refer to patients as guests?

A: When we look at the human being, what it represents is a seed of God. To me it is not a religion statement, in fact I could argue quantum physics has the same argument. We look at a human being as a deputy for God on earth, whether that human being is a housemaid or a president, it doesn’t matter to Al Ahli Hospital. To us, they are all kings and queens, and carriers of the seed of God. Isn’t it insulting to call the seed of God a patient? To me that is an insult, as that person has honoured us by having faith in us to come to Al Ahli to take care of their body.

Q: Are you looking into agreements with international institutions?

A: In the past two years we have been building bridges with different top hospitals in the world, whether John Hopkins or the Mayo Clinic. We are not signing contracts yet, but laying the groundwork for the real push forward in 2009 into the international arena.

Abdulwahed Abdullah Al-Mawlawi, MD and CEO of Al Ahli Hospital receiving the International Award for Quality in Geneva.

for wisdom every step of the way, as it could mess up the place. And which sectors to do you start with? The upper class, the lower class, and how much will the government subsidize companies?

Q: Where do you see Al Ahli in five years time?

A: The principle that guides us is a saying by Waldo Emerson: tie the wagon of your life to the stars. Second, when I was visited by the regional director of the Mayo Clinic, he asked where do you want to take Al Ahli. I said, go ahead and laugh your head off at my answer, you have been in existence for over 100 years and are No.1 in America with all hospitals comparing themselves to you. But if I stay here, in 5 to 10 years time at the most, Mayo Clinic will compare itself to Al Ahli Hospital.

Q: Is Qatar’s health sector ready for reform?

A: No. A lot of ground work needs to be covered.

When a population that is used to being spoon fed by the government, and companies then have to pay, it could have a lot of ramifications. There is a need

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Al Ahli Hospital

Q: Did the Asian Games, held in Doha in 2006, have an impact on the health sector in Qatar?

A: The games were a watershed for Qatar and the health sector. The most lasting legacy was that because it was done with such incredible quality, as witnessed by the world, and was so qualitatively different for Qatar, that it had a long lasting effect. People started to think of education and health with much higher standards of expectations. Secondly, the Qataris also travel a lot, and see their services and expect the same, especially as they have the financial means, so why not here? There is huge intangible pressure on the health sector.

B’HERE MAGAZINE

QATAR

From pearl trading to global powerhouse and education hub: A STORY TO TELL

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