Ahmad Al-Sayed

Ahmad Al-Sayed, who headed Qatar Holding LLC, was appointed chief executive officer of the Qatar Investment Authority, the sovereign wealth fund of the world’s richest nation in July 2013. Al-Sayed replaces Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani. Hamad Bin Jassim led Qatar’s government since 2007 as both premier and foreign minister. He was replaced by Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani as prime minister and Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah as foreign minister when Sheikh Tamim formed his Cabinet, the official news agency said on June 26. Prior to his appointment as chief executive of the investment authority in July 2013, Al Sayed served as chairman and managing director of Qatar Holding for over five years. He spearheaded the fund’s luxury investments and oversaw the $2 billion acquisition of luxury department store Harrods in 2010 and the acquisition of a one percent stake in LVMH, making it the sixth largest shareholder in the luxury goods group. An alumnus of the University of Qatar and the University of Boston, Al Sayed completed an MBA at New York University before joining the Qatar Investment Authority, initially as general legal counsel.