Qatar Holding has taken a 20 per cent stake in British airport operator BAA for $1.4 billion.

The deal makes Qatar Holding a significant player in the organisation which manages some of Britain’s biggest airports, including international hub London Heathrow.

Qatar Holding, which is the investment arm of sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority, purchased a 10 per cent stake from Spanish construction group Ferrovial, whose interest in BAA will be diminished to 39 per cent as a result of the deal.

The remaining 10 per cent was captured from smaller investors who formed part of a Spanish consortium led by Ferrovial that purchased BAA in 2006.

The deal continues Qatar Holding’s significant spending spree aimed at acquiring foreign assets. In the past 12 months alone, the organisation has invested $4.3 billion in foreign property assets, mainly in Europe. Significant acquisitions include the London Olympic village and the continent’s tallest tower, The Shard, which is also in London.