The investment in London Heathrow Airport by Qatar, Singapore's GIC sovereign wealth fund, and Alinda Capital Partners reflects a strategic move for several reasons: 1. Strategic Asset: Heathrow is one of the world's busiest airports, making it a highly valuable and strategic asset.
Heathrow Airport boasts a diverse group of stakeholders with the Spanish firm Ferrovial currently holding the largest share at 25 per cent. The ownership structure also includes Qatar Investment Authority holding a 20 per cent stake and China Investment Corporation with 10 per cent.
Qatar Investment Authority is a major shareholder in Heathrow Airport, holding 20 percent of the airport. In 2017, the company invested a further £650 million (US$807 million).
The state of Qatar alone, not counting individual royals' personal holdings, is the 10th largest landowner in the UK, according to analysts at MSCI Real Assets. The emirate owns nearly 2.1m sq metres (23m sq feet) of property in Britain, more than 1.5 times the area of London's Hyde Park.
Heathrow Airport Holdings Limited is in turn owned by FGP Topco Limited, a consortium owned and led by the infrastructure specialist Ferrovial S.A. (25.00%), Qatar Investment Authority (20.00%), Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) (12.62%), GIC (11.20%), Australian Retirement Trust (11.18%), China Investment ...
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Does Saudi Arabia own Heathrow Airport?
Ferrovial, the former majority owner of Heathrow, announced in November that it had agreed to sell its 25% stake in Heathrow for £2.4 billion ($3 billion), with 15% going to Ardian and 10% going to the Saudi PIF.
Spanish infrastructure firm Ferrovial has agreed to sell its 25% stake in London's Heathrow Airport for £2.37 billion to private equity firm Ardian and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. Why it matters: Heathrow is one of the world's busiest airports, with passenger volume recently surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
From the Harrods department store, the Ritz hotel and a significant chunk of Heathrow Airport, to an industrial unit in the West Sussex town of Crawley and an Essex farm, Qatar and its citizens have amassed UK assets and influence via the vast wealth – and disposable income – generated by its huge North Field gas ...
It is among the dozen biggest property owners in Britain. Central to its property empire are landmarks including the Shard, Canary Wharf and the Shell Centre redevelopment on London's South Bank. The Qatari government also owns luxury department store Harrods and 5* hotel Claridge's in London.
Press releases. Ferrovial completed the sale of 10.62% of Heathrow Airport Holdings Ltd. (formerly BAA Ltd.) to Qatar Holding LLC for 478 million pounds after obtaining approval from the European Union's competition authorities.
Qatar had previously been a protectorate under Great Britain, declaring independence on September 3, 1971, following the termination date of treaties with Great Britain.
Qatar Airways was established by the government of Qatar on November 22, 1993; operations began on January 20, 1994. Amman was the airline's first destination in May 1994. In April 1995, the airline's CEO was Sheikh Hamad Bin Ali Bin Jabor Al Thani, who employed a staff of 75.
British protectorate (1916–1971) The Ottomans officially renounced sovereignty over Qatar in 1913, and in 1916 the new ruler Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani signed a treaty with Britain, thereby instating the area under the trucial system.
The Connaught and Claridge's hotels in Mayfair are owned by the Maybourne Hotel Group, whose Qatari ultimate beneficial owners are Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the former emir of Qatar, and the former prime minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani.
Heathrow is worth about $25 billion, including debt, JPMorgan analysts calculated in May. By JPMorgan's estimates, Ferrovial's Heathrow holding has an equity value of $625 million.
The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) owns the department store Harrods, the Shard skyscraper and is co-owner of Canary Wharf. The Gulf state also owns the Savoy and Grosvenor House hotels, a 20% stake in Heathrow Airport and a 14% stake in supermarket chain Sainsbury's.
The current hereditary emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, runs the country in an autocratic manner and holds nearly all executive and legislative authority, as well as controlling the judiciary. He appoints the prime minister and cabinet. According to Freedom House, political rights in Qatar are severely limited.
As noble Lords may be aware, 20,000 British nationals live and work in Qatar, and the UK is a second home to many Qataris. In 2019, prior to the pandemic, there were a record 175,000 visits from Qatar to the UK, worth more than £0.5 billion to the UK economy.
Dubai is a leading tourist destination of the world while Qatar is wealthy because of its oil and natural gas reserves. Qatar was a closed country till 1995 when power was seized by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa from his father.
The exploration of oil and gas fields began in 1939. In 1973, oil production and revenues increased dramatically, moving Qatar out of the ranks of the world's poorest countries and providing it with one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.
Qatar has been named the fourth richest country worldwide, leaving the UAE in the dust. Also, it is the first-ever Arab nation to be among the top four wealthiest nations. The latest report from Global Finance ranks other Arab countries, like the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Oman, positioned after Qatar.
In October 2012, 10% of Heathrow Airport was sold to the China Investment Corporation - China's sovereign wealth fund. The deal took ownership of Britain's busiest airport to more than 40% controlled by the Chinese, Qatari and Singaporean governments.
The company makes money from charging landing fees and departing passenger levies to airlines, and from ancillary operations within those airports such as retail, car parking and property.
Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund will buy a 10% stake in London Heathrow Airport as part of a shareholder reshuffle, becoming a partial owner in one of Europe's busiest airports alongside the Qatar Investment Authority. The fund is buying the stake as Spain's Ferrovial sells down its 25% holding.
