The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) aims to increase the headcount of its New York office to between 40 and 45 employees over the next two years, Chief Executive Officer Mohammed Saif Al Sowaidi said on Thursday.
Al Sowaidi spoke at a panel at the “Global Perspectives: In Doha” event organized by CNN with Media City Qatar, the Qatar News Agency reported.
He described the United States as one of the sovereign wealth fund’s most important investment destinations. He cited the scale of its economy, the depth of its financial markets and its lead in innovation.
Referring to the announced $500 billion US investment commitment over the next 10 years, he said the approach was linked to opportunities across public and private equities, private credit, technology and innovation.
He said continued growth in the US depended on an attractive investment environment. Policies that stifle innovation or impose additional restrictions on foreign investors could require adjustments to the strategy, he said.
LNG revenue
Al Sowaidi said one of his main goals on taking the role was to prepare QIA for the next phase of Qatar’s LNG production expansion and the revenue growth expected to come with it.
The challenge, he said, is to absorb those revenues and deploy them through diversified investments that generate sustainable returns.
AI investments
He said QIA takes a selective approach to artificial intelligence and technology, focusing on companies with clear business models and a demonstrated ability to generate revenue.
He said demand for computing power is expected to remain strong, but cautioned that some startups may face competitive pressure from larger companies with greater resources. He cited QIA’s investment in Anthropic as reflecting confidence in the company’s enterprise software potential.
