About

With control of around $250bn worth of assets, the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) ranks as one of the ten largest sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) in the world. Established in 2005 to help diversify the country’s economy, QIA has made some eye-catching investments such as taking ownership of London department store Harrods and Paris Saint-Germain football club and acquiring majority shareholdings in UK supermarket chain Sainsbury’s and Barclays bank. Like many global funds, QIA was hit by the global financial crisis and the subsequent commodity slump, and has reportedly placed around $100bn of investments into a new division, Qatar Investments. Nominators pointed to the role of the legal team in helping QIA to respond quickly to market challenges and mitigate the risks associated with its portfolio. The legal function is led by general counsel Hassan Al Thawadi, a globally-recognised legal leader who also serves as Secretary General for the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, the body responsible for delivering the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. While senior figures closely connected to Qatar’s future are helping to steer the fund, nominators also pointed to the strength of the wider legal team, with figures such as deputy general counsel Haywood Blakemore, senior counsel Tom LaMacchia and John Haynes, singled out for praise. With new recruits like ex-King & Wood Mallesons partner and funds specialist Matthew Cavanagh joining the legal team this year, QIA’s strength looks set to grow.