If you’re talking about the best Middle Eastern countries, Qatar will always be one of the first few picks; that’s how much the country is regarded globally. Over the years, Qatar has grown to be a powerful country in the Gulf region, known for its riches and booming oil reserves. It is the wealthiest country GDP per capita and one of the reasons why Qatar is very popular globally is the several opportunities it presents to its residents, both locals and expats.
The developments in the country have caught the attention of onlookers, with several architectural projects being planned and executed. This has even caught the attention of football’s governing body, FIFA, which has tasked Qatar with hosting the most popular football tournament in the world, the men’s FIFA World Cup which is scheduled for 2022. It’s no surprise that with the country’s continuous economic growth, people are now beginning to pay more attention to it. The country is also home to the third-largest natural gas and oil reserves in the world. This explains the country’s high standards and how its residents have benefitted hugely from them.
Just like many other countries, Qatar is also home to wealthy people; both locals and expatriates. Some people have made Qatar their home way before Qatar became the glittering country that it is now while some have only been attracted by the ongoing developments in the country. Whatever the case is, we know Qatar is a wealthy country with so many wealthy people in it. The list of the richest men in the country is largely dominated by the members or relatives of the Al Thani royal family.
As the race for the top spot continues to get more difficult at the top of the Forbes Billionaire ranking, we’ve rounded up the the 9 richest people in Qatar in 2021.
1. Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani
Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani is a distant relative of the Al Thani royal family. In 1964, he founded his company, Al Faisal Holding which is now one of the biggest conglomerates in Qatar. The company owns several hotels around the world which include the famous W Hotel in London as well as St. Regis in some states in the U.S. As a young entrepreneur, Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani sold car parts in Doha, Qatar, before becoming a major distributor of Bridgestone tires in the ‘60s. Al Thani’s company, Al Faisal Holding, has investments in Aamal, a company that is into real estate and medical supplies in and around Qatar.
2. Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani
Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani served as the prime minister of Qatar from 2007 to 2013 and also the foreign minister for over two decades. Al Thani resides in Doha and he owns about a 3% stake in Deutsche Bank through a public holding, Paramount Services Holdings. Al Thani is very popular in his country and the Middle East as he also served as his country’s spokesperson in the U.S. His achievements in politics have been lauded by people; both home and abroad. According to the Panama Papers, Al Thani owns Al Mirqab, a 436-foot superyacht which is worth an estimated $300 million.
3. Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Thani
Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Thani is regarded as one of the most influential people in the whole of Qatar due to their exploits in politics and his country’s foreign affairs. Al Thani became Qatar’s ambassador to Germany in 2020 and the former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ooredoo Group has proudly relished his new role. During his time as the Chairman of the Ooredoo Group, he oversaw the company’s major turnaround, turning the company into one of the best regional telecom giants with a presence in countries across Southeast Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.
4. Akbar Al Baker
If you’re familiar with the popular Qatar Airways, then the name Akbar Al Baker shouldn’t sound strange to you. Akbar Al Baker has been credited with transforming the airways industry in the whole of Qatar and the rest of the world as the CEO of Qatar Airways. He was hugely involved in the building of the Hamad International Airport which was opened to the general public in 2014. It’s no surprise that Akbar Al Baker has a spot on the list of the richest people in Qatar because that’s exactly where he belongs.
5. Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is the fourth son of Hamad bin Khalifa, the previous Emir of Qatar. Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani became the Emir of Qatar himself in 2013 and has been heavily involved in the country’s recent amazing developments, especially in sports. As part of Al Thani’s bid to improve sports in his home country, he founded Oryx Qatar Sports Investments which is a sports investment company that owns Paris Saint-Germain, a popular French football club. Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani also reportedly played a huge role in Qatar’s bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, a move that proved to be successful. Al Thani is also the leader of Qatar Investment Authority which owns the largest stakes in Barclays Bank and many more.
6. Wissam Al Mana
Wissam Al Mana is probably more famous for being the former husband of popstar Janet Jackson but he remains one of the richest people in Qatar. His high business intellect has fetched him fortunes with his company, Al Mana Group which functions primarily in the Gulf region. The company’s wide range of services includes real estate, food and beverages, media, automobiles and many more.
7. Khalid bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani
The Al Thani house just can’t stop producing elites and in this case, Qatar’s former Minister of Interior, Khalid bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani. He served as the Minister of Interior of Qatar from 1972 to 1989 and today, he’s one of the richest men in Qatar. The Doha-based mogul has since focused on business which is reportedly booming, thanks to his family background and connection with the most important people in the country.
8. Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani
Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani is a Qatari drag racer who has invested a lot to improve drag racing in Qatar through his company, Al-Anabi Racing. Although most people refer to him as ‘Qatar’s bad boy’, it’s quite difficult not to talk about his input in the drag racing scene today. As a wealthy individual from the Al Thani house, Khalid bin Hamad al Thani is definitely putting his influence to good use to impact drag racing in his country.
9. Saad Sherida Al Kaabi
Saad Sherida Al Kaabi is without doubts, one of the richest people in Qatar. He currently serves as the country’s Energy Minister with previous roles as the CEO and president of Qatar Petroleum which is a state-owned corporation. After rounding up his education in Pennsylvania State University, Saad Sherida Al Kaabi began taking special interests in petroleum and engineering.
