Hussain al-Abdulla

Company:Qatar Investment Authority
Position: Executive board member

Biography: As an executive board member of QIA, Hussain al-Abdulla played a key role in the $36bn bid by mining firm Glencore International for Swiss-based rival Xstrata, in which the QIA has an 11 per cent stake. Under his stewardship, QIA has made several headline-grabbing investments.

It built up stakes in a number of firms, including the UK/Dutch Shell Group and the UK’s Sainsbury’s. In 2003, QIA’s subsidiary Qatar Holding was instrumental in helping UK lender Barclays raise £7bn ($11.4bn) to avoid a government bailout.

The bank is currently being investigated by the UK’s Serious Fraud Office. Al-Abdulla is chairman of Al-Rayan Bank, vice-chairman of Qatar Financial Centre and director of the board for Qatar Airways. Previously, he was director of the Investment Office under the Finance Ministry. He has a doctorate from Bradford University in the UK.

Contact Tel: (+974) 4 499 5900
Website: www.qia.qa