Khalid bin Mohammad al-Attiyah

Position: Foreign minister

Biography: Khalid bin Mohammad al-Attiyah is Qatar’s new foreign minister, taking over from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, who had been prime minister and foreign minister since 2007. Al-Attiyah previously served as state minister for international cooperation, a role he took up in July 2008.

He is widely regarded as leading the country’s support of opposition fighters in Syria. Al-Attiyah began his career as a fighter pilot in the Qatari air force from 1987-95, before moving into law and establishing his own firm. In 2009, he was appointed vice-chairman of the Qatar Financial Centre Authority and then chairman of the Qatar Exchange.

Al-Attiyah graduated in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in aviation studies from the King Faisal Aviation College in Saudi Arabia. He also has a law degree from Beirut Arab University and completed a doctorate in law from Cairo University.

Contact Tel: (+974) 4 011 1111