Sheikh
Sheikh (pronounced or ; ar, شيخ ' , mostly pronounced , plural ' )—also transliterated sheekh, sheyikh, shaykh, shayk, shekh, shaik and Shaikh, shak—is an honorific title in the Arabic language. It commonly designates a chief of a ...
Hamad bin Khalifa bin Hamad bin Abdullah bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani ( ar, حمد بن خليفة الثاني; born 1 January 1952) is a member of the ruling
Al Thani
The House of Thani ( ar, الثاني , translit=Al Thani) is the ruling family of Qatar, with origins tracing back to the Banu Tamim tribal confederation.
History and structure
The Al Thanis can be traced back to Mudar bin Nizar. The tribe ...
Qatari royal family. He was the ruling
Emir
Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or cerem ...
of
Qatar
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...
from 1995 until 2013 when he abdicated the throne, handing power to his son
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani ( ar, تميم بن حمد بن خليفة آل ثاني; born 3 June 1980, Doha, Qatar) is the Emir of Qatar who succeeded his father, Sheikh Hamad, after Hamad abdicated in his favour.
Tamim is the fourth son ...
.
["Qatar: A tiny country asserts powerful influence"](_blank)
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...
''60 Minutes'' via ''youtube.com'', 15 January 2012. The Qatari government refers to him as the Father Emir.
Hamad seized power from his father,
Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani
Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Abdullah bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani ( ar, خليفة بن حمد آل ثاني; 17 September 1932 – 23 October 2016) was the Emir of Qatar from 27 February 1972 until he was deposed by his son Hamad bin ...
, in a bloodless palace ''
coup d'état
A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...
'' in 1995. During his 18-year rule, Qatar's natural gas production reached 77 million tonnes, making Qatar the
richest country in the world per capita with the average income in the country US$86,440 a year per person.
During his reign, several sports and diplomatic events took place in Qatar, including the
2006 Asian Games
6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and preceding 7. It is a composite number and the smallest perfect number.
In mathematics
Six is the smallest positive integer which is neither a square number nor a prime number; it is the second small ...
,
2012 UN Climate Change Conference,
Doha Agreement Doha Agreement may refer to:
*Doha Agreement (2008), agreement between rival Lebanese factions
*Fatah–Hamas Doha Agreement, 2012
*Doha Agreement (2020) Doha Agreement may refer to:
*Doha Agreement (2008), agreement between rival Lebanese faction ...
,
Fatah–Hamas Doha Agreement
The Fatah–Hamas Doha Agreement was a reconciliation attempt between Fatah and Hamas, signed on 7 February 2012. The parties agreed to form an interim national consensus government composed of independent technocrats, to prepare for upcoming elec ...
, and it was decided that the
2022 FIFA World Cup
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is an international association football, football tournament contested by the men's national teams of FIFA's member associations. The 22nd FIFA World Cup is taking place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022 ...
would be held in the country. He established the
Qatar Investment Authority
The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA; ar, جهاز قطر للإستثمار) is Qatar's sovereign wealth fund. The QIA was founded by the State of Qatar in 2005 to strengthen the country's economy by diversifying into new asset classes. In 2021 ...
. By 2013, it had invested over $100 billion around the world, most prominently in
The Shard
The Shard, also referred to as the Shard of Glass, Shard London Bridge, and formerly London Bridge Tower, is a 72-storey skyscraper, designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano, in Southwark, London, that forms part of The Shard Quarter dev ...
,
Barclays Bank
Barclays () is a British multinational universal bank, headquartered in London, England. Barclays operates as two divisions, Barclays UK and Barclays International, supported by a service company, Barclays Execution Services.
Barclays traces ...
,
Heathrow Airport
Heathrow Airport (), called ''London Airport'' until 1966 and now known as London Heathrow , is a major international airport in London, England. It is the largest of the six international airports in the London airport system (the others be ...
,
Harrods
Harrods Limited is a department store located on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, London, England. It is currently owned by the state of Qatar via its sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority. The Harrods brand also applies to other ...
,
Paris Saint-Germain F.C.
Paris Saint-Germain Football Club (), commonly referred to as Paris Saint-Germain, Paris, Paris SG or simply PSG is a professional football club based in Paris, France. They compete in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. As Fr ...
,
Volkswagen
Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German Automotive industry, motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a ...
,
Siemens
Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational conglomerate corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe headquartered in Munich with branch offices abroad.
The principal divisions of the corporation are ''Industry'', '' ...
and
Royal Dutch Shell
Shell plc is a British multinational oil and gas company headquartered in London, England. Shell is a public limited company with a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and secondary listings on Euronext Amsterdam and the New Yo ...
.
Hamad ruled an autocratic regime in Qatar with no organized political opposition and prohibitions on free speech and dissent.
During Hamad's rule, Qatar hosted two US military bases. It also maintained close relations with
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. He supported and funded rebel movements, particularly in
Libya
Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...
and
Syria
Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
during the
Arab Spring
The Arab Spring ( ar, الربيع العربي) was a series of Nonviolent resistance, anti-government protests, Rebellion, uprisings and Insurgency, armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s. It began in T ...
, while maintaining political stability at home. The Sheikh founded news media group
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera ( ar, الجزيرة, translit-std=DIN, translit=al-jazīrah, , "The Island") is a state-owned Arabic-language international radio and TV broadcaster of Qatar. It is based in Doha and operated by the media conglomerate Al Jazeera ...
. He also played a part in negotiations between the US and the
Taliban
The Taliban (; ps, طالبان, ṭālibān, lit=students or 'seekers'), which also refers to itself by its state (polity), state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Deobandi Islamic fundamentalism, Islamic fundamentalist, m ...
. In June 2013, Hamad, in a brief televised address, announced that he would hand power to his fourth son, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Early years and education
Hamad was born in 1952. His mother died soon after his birth and he was raised by his uncle.
He graduated from the British
Royal Military Academy at
Sandhurst in 1971, and was then commissioned as a lieutenant colonel in Qatar's armed forces.
A few months later he returned to Qatar and was made commander of a mobile brigade, which later became a force called "Hamad Brigade".
[ In 1972 Hamad had the rank of general, and became army chief of staff.][ Next he was appointed commander-in-chief of Qatar's armed forces with the rank of major general.][ In 1977 he was named minister of defense.][
Hamad was appointed Heir Apparent of Qatar in 1977 and held the post until 1995.] In the early 1980s, he led the Supreme Planning Council, which sets Qatar's basic economic and social policies. From 1992 Hamad had a growing responsibility for the day-to-day running of the country, including the development of Qatar's oil and natural gas resources. On 27 June 1995, after deposing his father in a palace coup
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome whic ...
, Hamad became Emir of Qatar and was crowned on 20 June 2000.[
In the early 1980s, Hamad led the Supreme Planning Council, which sets Qatar's basic economic and social policies. Starting in 1992, Hamad's father handed over responsibility for the day-to-day running of the country,] including the development of Qatar's oil and natural gas resources, rendering him the effective ruler. However, his father ultimately retained control over state finances.
Reign as Emir (1995–2013)
With the support of his family, Hamad took control of the country in 1995 while his father was on vacation abroad.[ While his father ]Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani
Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Abdullah bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani ( ar, خليفة بن حمد آل ثاني; 17 September 1932 – 23 October 2016) was the Emir of Qatar from 27 February 1972 until he was deposed by his son Hamad bin ...
was in Geneva, Switzerland
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...
, Hamad bin Khalifa deposed him in a bloodless coup d'état
A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...
.[ Gale Biography in Context. ] The deposition came after a falling out between Hamad bin Khalifa and his father, who had tried regaining some of the authority he bestowed upon Hamad in early 1995. Thereafter, his father lived in exile in France and Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi (, ; ar, أَبُو ظَبْيٍ ' ) is the capital and second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the centre of the Abu Dhabi Metropolitan Area.
...
[ until he returned to Qatar in 2004.
Hamad then engaged an American law firm to freeze his father's bank accounts abroad in order to deter a possible countercoup.][ However, a counter-coup was attempted against Hamad in February 1996 under the leadership of former Economy Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani. The coup failed, and several of Qatar's traditional Arab allies were implicated in the plot, namely Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt.
In a break with the traditional role, his second wife Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned has been a visible advocate for education and children's causes.] In 1995, Sheikh Hamad and his wife Sheikha Moza bint Nasser founded the Qatar Foundation
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development ( ar, مؤسسة قطر) is a state-led non-profit organization in Qatar, founded in 1995 by then-emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and his second wife Moza bint Nasser. Qatar Founda ...
.
A sportsman and an accomplished diver, Hamad has played an active role in promoting and developing athletics in Qatar
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...
.[ His activism has enhanced the country's involvement and performance in a number of international competitions, including: winning an ]Olympic medal
An Olympic medal is awarded to successful competitors at one of the Olympic Games. There are three classes of medal to be won: gold, silver, and bronze, awarded to first, second, and third place, respectively. The granting of awards is laid o ...
in track and field; hosting a wide variety of international sporting events such as the 15th Asian Games
15 (fifteen) is the natural number following 14 and preceding 16.
Mathematics
15 is:
* A composite number, and the sixth semiprime; its proper divisors being , and .
* A deficient number, a smooth number, a lucky number, a pernicious num ...
, GCC, Asian and World Youth soccer championships; and initiating the Qatar Open Tennis Championship which has grown to become one of two premier tennis competitions in the Middle East.
Under his rule the Qatari government helped to fund the Al Jazeera news network by an emiri decree. In an analysis of Al Jazeera, Hugh Miles said that diplomats from other countries know that the Emir is the real power behind Al Jazeera but he also quotes a network spokesman denying 'countless times' this accusation, adding that many independent news sources also have subsidies from their respective governments without this implying editorial dabbling and explaining that trying to coerce the kind of journalists Al Jazeera has would be like trying to 'herd cats'. Sheik Hamad is a distant cousin of the network chairman, Hamad bin Thamer Al Thani
Hamad may refer to:
People
*Hamad (name), an Arabic given name and surname
*Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa (1872–1942), Ruler of Bahrain from 1932 until his death in 1942.
*Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain since 2002.
Cities and villages
*H ...
, who was previously Minister of Information in the Emir Al Thani government. Following the initial US$137 million grant from Emir Al Thani, Al Jazeera had aimed to become self-sufficient through advertising by 2001, but when this failed to occur, the Emir agreed to several consecutive loans on a year-by-year basis (US$30 million in 2004, according to Arnaud de Borchgrave
Arnaud Charles Paul Marie Philippe de Borchgrave (26 October 1926 – 15 February 2015) was a Belgian-American journalist who specialized in international politics. Following a long career with the news magazine ''Newsweek'', covering 17 wars i ...
). At a 3 October 2001 press conference, Colin Powell
Colin Luther Powell ( ; April 5, 1937 – October 18, 2021) was an American politician, statesman, diplomat, and United States Army officer who served as the 65th United States Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African ...
tried to persuade Sheik Hamad to shut down Al Jazeera while the New York-based organization Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting
Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR) is a progressive left-leaning media critique organization based in New York City. The organization was founded in 1986 by Jeff Cohen and Martin A. Lee. FAIR monitors American news media for bias, inaccura ...
commented that in those efforts, "Powell and other U.S. officials were reportedly upset by the channel re-airing old interviews with bin Laden and the inclusion of guests that are too critical of the United States on its programs." ''The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' reported in 2005 that Sheik Hamad was under pressure to privatize the network.
In 2010, the country won its controversial bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is an international association football, football tournament contested by the men's national teams of FIFA's member associations. The 22nd FIFA World Cup is taking place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022 ...
in Doha
Doha ( ar, الدوحة, ad-Dawḥa or ''ad-Dōḥa'') is the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor, it is home to most of the coun ...
.
Authoritarianism
Hamad ruled an autocratic regime in Qatar. There was no organized political opposition in Qatar. Freedom of expression was limited under his rule and dissent was prohibited. National news outlets exercised self-censorship. In 2013, a Qatari poet was sentenced to 15 years in prison for criticizing Hamad.
Oil and gas wealth
Hamad was able to focus on turning Qatar from a small desert backwater into a major world power by continuing to exploit the country’s vast oil fields and discovering and tapping the world’s third largest gas reserves.[lemonde.fr: "La France accorde une exonération d'impôts aux avoirs du Qatar"](_blank)
21 Feb 2009 By 2010 liquefied natural gas
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural gas (predominantly methane, CH4, with some mixture of ethane, C2H6) that has been cooled down to liquid form for ease and safety of non-pressurized storage or transport. It takes up about 1/600th the volu ...
production had reached 77 million tons, making Qatar the richest country in the world. With fewer than two million inhabitants, the average income in the country shot to a staggering $86,440 per year per person. Qatar expert Olivier Da Lage said: "When he came to power in 1995, Sheikh Hamad had a goal to place Qatar on the world map by exploiting the gas resources which his father did not develop for fear it would change the emirate's society. Eighteen years on, he has finished the job – Qatar has acquired the financial clout to command respect from neighboring countries and Western governments alike".
In 2005, under the direction of Hamad and the former prime minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
of Qatar
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...
Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani
Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber bin Mohammed bin Thani Al Thani ( ar, حمد بن جاسم بن جبر آل ثاني; born 1959), also known informally by his initials HBJ, is a Qatari politician. He was the Prime Minister of Qatar from 3 April ...
, the Qatar Investment Authority
The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA; ar, جهاز قطر للإستثمار) is Qatar's sovereign wealth fund. The QIA was founded by the State of Qatar in 2005 to strengthen the country's economy by diversifying into new asset classes. In 2021 ...
was established, a sovereign wealth fund to manage the country's oil and natural gas surpluses. The Qatar Investment Authority and its subsidiaries
A subsidiary, subsidiary company or daughter company is a company owned or controlled by another company, which is called the parent company or holding company. Two or more subsidiaries that either belong to the same parent company or having a sa ...
have acquired many businesses abroad, including London's iconic department store Harrods
Harrods Limited is a department store located on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, London, England. It is currently owned by the state of Qatar via its sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority. The Harrods brand also applies to other ...
from entrepreneur Mohammed Al-Fayed
Mohamed Al-Fayed (; arz, محمد الفايد ; born 27 January 1929) is an Egyptian-born businessman whose residence and chief business interests have been in the United Kingdom since the late 1960s. His business interests include ownership of ...
, Paris-based department store Printemps
Printemps (; meaning "spring (season), springtime" in French language, French) is a French department store chain (french: grand magasin, links=no, literally "big store"). The Printemps stores focus on beauty, lifestyle, fashion, accessories ...
, French football club
A football team is a group of players selected to play together in the various team sports known as football. Such teams could be selected to play in a match against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an all- ...
Paris Saint-Germain F.C.
Paris Saint-Germain Football Club (), commonly referred to as Paris Saint-Germain, Paris, Paris SG or simply PSG is a professional football club based in Paris, France. They compete in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. As Fr ...
, a former 10% stake in Porsche
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, usually shortened to Porsche (; see #Pronunciation, below), is a German automobile manufacturer specializing in high-performance sports cars, SUVs and sedans, headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany ...
, a 75% stake in film studio
A film studio (also known as movie studio or simply studio) is a major entertainment company or motion picture company that has its own privately owned studio facility or facilities that are used to make films, which is handled by the production ...
Miramax Films
Miramax, LLC, also known as Miramax Films, is an American film and television production and distribution company founded on December 19, 1979, by brothers Harvey Weinstein, Harvey and Bob Weinstein, and based in Los Angeles, California.
It was ...
which they acquired from Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
, a 2% stake in media conglomerate
A media conglomerate, media group, or media institution is a company that owns numerous companies involved in mass media enterprises, such as music, television, radio, publishing, motion pictures, theme parks, or the Internet. According to the ...
and Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
parent company
A holding company is a company whose primary business is holding a controlling interest in the securities of other companies. A holding company usually does not produce goods or services itself. Its purpose is to own shares of other companies ...
Vivendi
Vivendi SE is a French mass media holding company headquartered in Paris. Widely known as the owner of Gameloft, Groupe Canal+, Havas, Editis, Prisma Media, Vivendi Village and Dailymotion, the company has activities in television, film, video ...
, a $100 million USD investment in Chernin Group – whose founder Peter Chernin
Peter Chernin (born May 29, 1951) is an American businessman and investor. He is the chairman and CEO of TCG (company), The Chernin Group (TCG), which he founded in 2010. TCG manages, operates and invests in businesses in the media, entertainment, ...
was COO of News Corp
News Corporation, stylized as News Corp, is an American mass media and publishing company headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The second incarnation of the News Corporation (1980–2013), original News Corporation, it was formed ...
and President of Fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
, a 1% stake in luxury goods
In economics, a luxury good (or upmarket good) is a good for which demand increases more than what is proportional as income rises, so that expenditures on the good become a greater proportion of overall spending. Luxury goods are in contrast to n ...
manufacturer Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy
LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (), commonly known as LVMH, is a French holding multinational corporation and conglomerate specializing in luxury goods, headquartered in Paris. The company was formed in 1987 through the merger of fashion house ...
, a 6% stake in Credit Suisse
Credit Suisse Group AG is a global investment bank and financial services firm founded and based in Switzerland. Headquartered in Zürich, it maintains offices in all major financial centers around the world and is one of the nine global " ...
, a 12.6% stake in Barclays
Barclays () is a British multinational universal bank, headquartered in London, England. Barclays operates as two divisions, Barclays UK and Barclays International, supported by a service company, Barclays Execution Services.
Barclays traces ...
and several other major companies. They also backed Glencore's $31 billion takeover bid for Xstrata
Xstrata plc was an Anglo-Swiss multinational mining company headquartered in Zug, Switzerland and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It was a major producer of coal (and the world's largest exporter of thermal coal), copper, ...
. Qatar is the largest property owner in London with their holdings including the United Kingdom's tallest building The Shard
The Shard, also referred to as the Shard of Glass, Shard London Bridge, and formerly London Bridge Tower, is a 72-storey skyscraper, designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano, in Southwark, London, that forms part of The Shard Quarter dev ...
, the London Olympic Village
East Village is a housing development in Stratford, East London that was designed and constructed as the Olympic Village of the 2012 Summer Olympics and has been converted for use as a new residential district, complete with independent shops, ...
and the InterContinental London Park Lane
InterContinental London Park Lane is a luxury five-star hotel in London, England operated by the InterContinental Hotels Group. It is located at 1 Hamilton Place on Hyde Park Corner with Park Lane, close to the shopping center of Knightsbridge ...
hotel. They also own several hotels in Cannes
Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions I ...
including the Majestic Hotel, Grand Hyatt Cannes Hôtel Martinez
Grand may refer to:
People with the name
* Grand (surname)
* Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor
* Grand Mixer DXT, American turntablist
* Grand Puba (born 1966), American rapper
Places
* Grand, Oklahoma
* Grand, Vosges, village and commun ...
and the Carlton Hotel, Cannes
The Carlton Cannes is a historic 332-room luxury hotel opened in 1911, located at 58 La Croisette in Cannes on the French Riviera. It is famous for hosting movie stars from around the world during the annual Film Festival. After operating as an ...
. QIA was considered to have one of the leading bids in the sales of both Anschutz Entertainment Group
The Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), also known as AEG Worldwide, is an American global sporting and music entertainment presenter and a subsidiary of The Anschutz Corporation. It is the world's largest owner of sports teams and sports even ...
and Hulu
Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television serie ...
. As of May 2013, it was reported the Investment Authority was in talks to purchase Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus Group, Inc. is an American integrated luxury retailer headquartered in Dallas, Texas, which owns Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Horchow, and Last Call. Since September 2021, NMG has been owned by a group of investment compani ...
and Bergdorf Goodman
Bergdorf Goodman Inc. is a luxury department store based on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York. The company was founded in 1899 by Herman Bergdorf and was later owned and managed by Edwin Goodman, and later his son, Andrew Goodman.
To ...
.
Media sources claimed that Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani made a bid for Manchester United
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of City of Salford, Salford to ...
on 11 February 2011. Qatari Holdings offered £1.65 billion to Malcolm Glazer
Malcolm Irving Glazer (August 15, 1928 – May 28, 2014) was an American businessman and sports team owner. He was the president and chief executive officer of First Allied Corporation, a holding company for his varied business interests, ...
, the American owner of the club. This follows a series of endeavors by the Emir and other Qataris into the World Football community, following Qatar's successful bid for the 2022 World Cup
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is an international football tournament contested by the men's national teams of FIFA's member associations. The 22nd FIFA World Cup is taking place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022; it is the first Wo ...
, and the Qatar Foundation's recent £125m shirt deal with FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona (), commonly referred to as Barcelona and colloquially known as Barça (), is a professional football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of Spanish football.
Founded ...
. In mid-June 2011, rumours resurfaced that Qatari Holdings were preparing a £2 Billion takeover bid and that the funding, that the club had been using for transfers since the start of June, was actually supplied by the Qataris and not the Glazer Family
Glazer is a surname that is derived from the occupation of the glazier, or glass cutter. Some notable people with this name include:
* Avram Glazer (born 1960), American businessman and sports team owner
* Benjamin Glazer (1887–1956), Northern ...
. In 2012 it was rumoured that Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani was in bid for Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in the Govan district of Glasgow which plays in the Scottish Premiership. Although not its official name, it is often referred to as Glasgow Rangers outside Scotland. The fou ...
On 30 March 2012 Sheik Al Thani offered to buy KF Tirana
Klubi i Futbollit Tirana (KF Tirana) is an Albanian football club based in the country's capital city, Tirana. The men's football club is part of the multi-disciplinary sports club SK Tirana, and is the most successful in Albania, having won 54 ...
, although the details have yet to be published.
Culture and education
In the arts, Hamad established the Qatar Museums Authority
Qatar Museums (formerly the Qatar Museums Authority) is a Qatari government entity that oversees the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, MIA Park, QM Gallery at Katara, ALRIWAQ DOHA Exhibition Space, the Al Zubarah ...
in 2005 which built the I. M. Pei
Ieoh Ming Pei
– website of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners ( ; ; April 26, 1917 – May 16, 2019) was ...
designed Museum of Islamic Art Doha. Since its opening, Qatar has become the world's biggest contemporary art buyer,["Qatar revealed as the world's biggest contemporary art buyer"](_blank)
''Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...
'', 7 July 2011. famously purchasing Cézanne's ''The Card Players
''The Card Players'' is a series of oil paintings by the French Post-Impressionist artist Paul Cézanne. Painted during Cézanne's final period in the early 1890s, there are five paintings in the series. The versions vary in size, the number of ...
''in 2012 for over US$250 million. The art acquisition efforts were often represented by Sheikh Saud bin Mohammed Al Thani, president of Qatar’s National Council for Culture, Arts and the Heritage.
The Museum Authority sponsored Takashi Murakami
is a Japanese contemporary artist. He works in fine arts media (such as painting and sculpture) as well as commercial (such as fashion, merchandise, and animation) and is known for blurring the line between high and low arts as well as co ae ...
's EGO exhibit in Doha which ran from 9 February to 24 June 2012, Damien Hirst
Damien Steven Hirst (; né
Brennan; born 7 June 1965) is an English artist, entrepreneur, and art collector. He is one of the Young British Artists (YBAs) who dominated the art scene in the UK during the 1990s. He is reportedly the United Kingd ...
's retrospective
A retrospective (from Latin ''retrospectare'', "look back"), generally, is a look back at events that took place, or works that were produced, in the past. As a noun, ''retrospective'' has specific meanings in medicine, software development, popu ...
at Tate Modern
Tate Modern is an art gallery located in London. It houses the United Kingdom's national collection of international modern and contemporary art, and forms part of the Tate group together with Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives. It is ...
in Spring and Summer 2012 and Hirst's exhibition Relics, from October 2013 to January 2014. In July 2013, in conjunction with Miuccia Prada
Miuccia Bianchi Prada (; born Maria Bianchi on 10 May 1949) is an Italian billionaire fashion designer and businesswoman. She is the head designer of Prada and the founder of its subsidiary Miu Miu. As of October 2021, ''Forbes'' estimated her n ...
and the Prada
Prada S.p.A. (, ; ) is an Italian luxury fashion house founded in 1913 in Milan by Mario Prada. It specializes in leather handbags, travel accessories, shoes, ready-to-wear, and other fashion accessories. Prada licenses its name and branding t ...
Foundation, QMA launched CURATE, a global search for curatorial talent. Additionally, the Doha Film Institute
Doha Film Institute (DFI) is a nonprofit cultural organisation established in 2010 by Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani to support the growth of the Qatari film community and to provide funding and international networking oppor ...
was established in 2009 which in partnership with the Tribeca Film Festival (founded by Robert De Niro), created the Doha Tribeca Film Festival that ran from 2009 – 2012. The Doha Film Institute is producing Salma Hayek's upcoming animated adaptation of Khalil Gibran's classic novel ''The Prophet (book), The Prophet'', with ''Lion King'' director Roger Allers coordinating the process. DFI is also credited as a production company on several other films, including ''Just like a Woman (2012 film), Just Like a Woman'' starring Sienna Miller, ''The Reluctant Fundamentalist (film), The Reluctant Fundamentalist'', directed by Mira Nair, which opened the 69th Venice International Film Festival, and Kanye West's ''Cruel Summer (film), Cruel Summer'' – a short film which was shot in Doha and premiered during the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. In February 2013, they announced a $100 million feature film fund with Participant Media, a production company founded by billionaire Jeffrey Skoll, who was the first employee and also first president of internet auction firm eBay.
Under the patronage of Hamad and his wife Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Moza Bint Nasser Al-Missned, various academic institutions have opened campuses in Doha, including Carnegie Mellon University, Georgetown University, Northwestern University, Texas A&M University and Weill Cornell Medical College.
Abdication and later life
On 25 June 2013, Hamad handed over power to his son Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Tamim in a televised speech. In regards to the shift in power, Hamad said: "The time has come to open a new page in the journey of our nation that would have a new generation carry the responsibilities."
Since his abdication, he is now popularly referred to as the Father Emir. His fourth son Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Sheikh Tamim, from his second wife Sheikha Moza, is now the eighth and current Emir of Qatar.
Hamad is believed to have suffered from poor health for several years. In December 2015, he was flown to Zürich, Switzerland, for treatment after breaking his leg while on holiday in Morocco's Atlas mountains.
Foreign relations
The Emir made a $100 million donation for the relief of New Orleans following the 2005 Hurricane Katrina. He was a key person in the cease fire during the 2006 Lebanon War and contributed majorly in the relief of damaged areas. In 2012, the Emir proposed deploying Arab troops to reduce killings in the Syrian civil war. He provided two military bases for foreign troops, Al Udeid Air Base and Camp As Sayliyah.
Despite the prevalence of Arab–Israeli conflict, anti-Israel sentiment within the Arab world, he had previously maintained friendly relations with Israel.[ He met Foreign Minister of Israel Tzipi Livni (25 September 2007) in New York City. This marked the first real attempt by any leader in the Persian Gulf to pursue dialogue with Israel. However, Qatar severed diplomatic ties with Israel in 2009 in response to Israel's actions during the Gaza War (2008–09), Gaza War. The emir has also expressed his objection to Israeli settlement policy, especially the Judaization of Jerusalem.
]
Gaza and Hamas
In October 2012, the Emir made a landmark visit to Gaza by being the first head of state to go there since the 2006 Palestinian legislative election, 2006 election of Hamas and the Blockade of the Gaza Strip, imposition of a blockade by Israel. He took a flight to Egypt before being driven into Gaza. While there, the emir was thought to be launching a $254 million reconstruction project in the territory, and giving an address to the Palestinian people. Palestine's interior ministry was said to have a "well-prepared plan" to provide security for the emir during his stay. Incidents nevertheless continued.
In October 2012, Hamad made a historic visit to Gaza and pledged US$400 million in humanitarian aid to Hamas, to build infrastructure projects and hospitals. Despite Qatar's ties to Hamas, they maintain diplomatic and business relations with Israel. Sheikh Hamad provided financial and material support to opposition rebels in both the 2011 Libyan Civil War, Libyan Civil War, which led to the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, and the ongoing Syrian civil war which seeks to oust President Bashar al-Assad. It has been reported that he has also provided support to jihadist organizations such as Ansar Dine["Is Qatar fuelling the crisis in north Mali?"](_blank)
France 24, 23 January 2013. and the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa, who are fighting for independence in the Northern Mali conflict, as well as the Al-Nusra Front in Syria.["Al Qaeda in Syria"](_blank)
Editorial, The New York Times, 10 December 2012.
Criticism and allegations of support to US designated terrorist organizations
In December 2012, ''The New York Times'' accused the Qatari government of funding the Al-Nusra Front, a U.S. government List of designated terrorist organizations, designated terrorist organization. Others have noted the Emir's visit to Gaza and meeting with Hamas, which houses a militant wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.[Kerr, Simeon, and Vita Bekker]
"Qatar emir in landmark trip to Gaza"
''Financial Times'', 23 October 2012. In January 2013, French politicians again accused the Emir's government of giving material support to Islamist groups in Mali and the French newspaper ''Le Canard enchaîné'' quoted an unnamed source in French military intelligence saying that "The National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad, MNLA, al Qaeda-linked Ansar Dine and Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, MUJAO have all received cash from Doha."
Investments
In April 2016, Hamad was List of people named in the Panama Papers, named in the Panama Papers.
Hamad is listed as owner of Afrodille S.A., which had a bank account in Luxembourg and shares in two South African companies. Al Thani also held a majority of the shares in Rienne S.A. and Yalis S.A., which held a term deposit with the Bank of China in Luxembourg. A relative owned 25% of these: Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, Qatar's former prime minister and foreign minister.
Marriages and children
Sheikh Hamad has three wives and twenty-four children, eleven sons and thirteen daughters:
*Hamad's first wife is his first cousin, Sheikha Mariam bint Muhammad Al Thani, the daughter of his paternal uncle, Sheikh Muhammad bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani. They have two sons and six daughters, namely:
**Sheikh Mishaal bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (born 1972) – heir apparent of Qatar (1995–96)
**Sheikh Fahd bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
**Sheikha Aisha bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
**Sheikha Fatima bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
**Sheikha Rawdah bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
**Sheikha Hessa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
**Sheikha Mashael bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
**Sheikha Sara bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani – Program Coordinator for Reach Out to Asia-Qatar (ROTAQ)
*Hamad's second wife is Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned (born 8 August 1959, Al-Khor), the daughter of Nasser bin Abdullah Al-Missned. They have five sons and two daughters, namely:
**Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (born 25 August 1978) – heir apparent of Qatar (1996–2003)
**Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (born 3 June 1980) – heir apparent of Qatar (2003–2013), current Emir of Qatar (2013–present)
**Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (born 1983)
**Sheikha Hind bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (born 15 August 1984)
**Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (born 1986)
**Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (born 18 April 1988)
**Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (born 11 November 1991)
*Hamad's third wife is Sheikha Noora bint Khalid Al Thani, again his first cousin, the daughter of his paternal uncle, Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani, Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani, who was the minister of the interior. They have four sons and five daughters:
**Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani, Khalid bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
**Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani – Deputy Emir of Qatar since 11 November 2014.
**Sheikh Thani bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani(born on January 16,1994).
**Sheikh Al Qaqa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (born 30 June 2000)
**Sheikha Lulwah bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
**Sheikha Maha bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
**Sheikha Dana bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
**Sheikha Alanoud bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
**Sheikha Mariam bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
Titles, styles, honours and awards
Titles
*1 January 1952 – 22 February 1972: Sheikh
Sheikh (pronounced or ; ar, شيخ ' , mostly pronounced , plural ' )—also transliterated sheekh, sheyikh, shaykh, shayk, shekh, shaik and Shaikh, shak—is an honorific title in the Arabic language. It commonly designates a chief of a ...
Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
*22 February 1972 – 1977: ''Excellency, His Excellency'' Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
*1977 – 27 June 1995: ''His Highness'' Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Crown Prince of Qatar
*27 June 1995 – 25 June 2013: ''His Highness'' Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar
*25 June 2013 – present: ''His Highness'' Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Father Emir of Qatar
Honours
National honours
* :
**
Former Sovereign Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Independence
**
Former Sovereign Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit
Foreign honours
* :
**
Grand Cross of the Skanderbeg's Order, Order of George Castriot Skanderbeg
**
Recipient of the National Flag Order
* :
**
Grand Cross of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria, Order of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria, Special Class
* :
**
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa
* :
**
Grand Cross of the Order of Stara Planina, Order of the Balkan Mountains
* :
**
Grand Cross of the Grand Order of King Tomislav
* :
**
Member of the Order of José Martí
* :
**
Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella
* :
**
Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Nile
* :
**
Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose
* :
**
Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, Order of the Legion of Honour
* :
**
Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
* :
**
Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer
* :
**
Orders, decorations, and medals of Indonesia#Stars of the Republic of Indonesia, Star of Mahaputera 1st Class
* :
**
Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
* :
**
Grand Cross with Collar of the National Order of the Ivory Coast, Order of the Ivory Coast
* :
**
Knight Grand Cordon with Collar of the Order of al-Hussein bin Ali
* :
**
Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Mubarak the Great
* :
**
Extraordinary Grade of the Order of Merit (Lebanon), Order of Merit
**
Grand Cross of the National Order of the Cedar, Order of the Cedar
* :
** Honorary Recipient of the Order of the Crown of the Realm
* :
**
Honorary Companion of Honour with Collar of the National Order of Merit (Malta), National Order of Merit
* :
**
Collar of the Order of Muhammad
* :
**
Knight Grand Cross of Order of the Netherlands Lion
* North Macedonia:
**
Grand Officer of the Order 8-September, Order 8-September, 1st Class
* :
**
Member Special Class of the Order of Oman
**
Knight Grand Cross of the Orders, decorations, and medals of Oman, Order of Merit
* :
**
Recipient of the Nishan-e-Pakistan
* :
**
Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun of Peru (13 February 2013)
* :
**
Grand Collar (Supremo) of the Order of Lakandula
* :
**
Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry, Order of Infante Henry
* :
**
Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Star of Romania
* :
**
Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Abdulaziz al Saud
* :
**
Grand Cross of the National Order of the Lion
* :
**
Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Good Hope
* :
**
Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
* :
**
Knight of the Order of the Rajamitrabhorn
* :
**
Grand Cross of th
Order of 7 November
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* :
**
Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
**
Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
* :
**
Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Liberator
**
Grand Cross of the Order of Francisco de Miranda
* :
**
Grand Cross of the Order of the Republic
Awards
*
** : Honorary citizenship, Honorary Citizen of the City of Tirana
*
** International Association of Athletics Federations: Member of the Golden Order of Merit
*
** ''Foreign Policy (magazine), Foreign Policy Magazine: Top 100 Global Thinker - "For filling the leadership vacuum in the Middle East."
See also
*List of the richest royals
References
External links
*
*
Denver Post article on His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani and his rise to power
Photo of Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa's yacht no. 1
Photo of Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa's yacht no. 2
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thani, Hamad Bin Khalifa
1952 births
Living people
House of Thani, Hamad Bin Khalifa
Graduates of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Emirs of Qatar
Government ministers of Qatar
Muslim monarchs
People from Doha
Leaders who took power by coup
Prime Ministers of Qatar
Qatari Muslims
Monarchs who abdicated
Recipients of the Order of Skanderbeg (1990–)
Recipients of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria
Recipients of the Grand Star of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria
Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella
Grand Croix of the Légion d'honneur
Grand Crosses Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Recipients of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Knights Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Extraordinary Grades of the Order of Merit (Lebanon)
Recipients of the National Order of the Cedar
Grand Cordons of the National Order of the Cedar
Recipients of the National Order of Merit (Malta)
Honorary Companions of Honour with Collar of the National Order of Merit (Malta)
Recipients of the Order of Lakandula
Grand Collars of the Order of Lakandula
Grand Crosses of the Order of Lakandula
Recipients of the Order of Prince Henry
Grand Collars of the Order of Prince Henry
Grand Crosses of the Order of Prince Henry
First Class of the Order of the Star of Romania
Collars of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Qatari billionaires
People named in the Panama Papers
Recipients of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 1st class
Defense ministers of Qatar