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Special Advertising Section 2007
The Gulf Arab States: Looking Toward a
Promising Future
Gulf Leaders 3
Thirty years ago it was a part of
the world blessed with massive
energy reserves and little else.
But today, Gulf Arab states have
blossomed to become one of the
world’s most economically diverse
and dynamic regions.Through astute,
forward-thinking leadership and wise
investments, the former deserts of
Arabia are now home to cosmopolitan
cities and global financial hubs of
international standards.
To truly appreciate the pace of
growth and development in countries
like Bahrain, Qatar and the United
Arab Emirates, one simply has to compare
old and new photographs of their
respective capital cities. State-of-theart
airports and motorways have
replaced the sand dunes. Magnificently
breathtaking skyscrapers and towers
now dot the skylines, and every year,
millions of people from around the
world come to this booming region
for work, play and sun.
Collectively, Gulf Arab states recognized
the need to expand their
economies and diversify their investments in order to
stimulate growth and broaden their economic and investment
horizons.
The development and advancement of this region’s
economy and infrastructure play an important role in its
strategy for a brighter future.
The Kingdom of Bahrain, with its long-standing international
recognition as the region’s first financial hub, is home
to major players such as Gulf Finance House (GFH).
With its multibillion-dollar infrastructure and development
projects, not to mention its highly
respected Energy City clusters, GFH is
widely recognized as a pioneering
Islamic investment bank that has
financed development infrastructure
for some of the largest and most ambitious
projects in the Middle East and
North Africa region.
In Qatar, home to the world’s
third-largest reserves of natural gas,
the future is shining brighter than
ever before.The country’s strong economic
backdrop has created virtually
unlimited opportunities for its leading
financial institutions.
Qatar Islamic Bank, one of the
region’s largest financial institutions
by market capitalization, posts solid
earnings and increasing shareholder
value. The bank’s success is further
proof of the Islamic banking and
finance sector’s growing importance.
The UAE-based Al Qudra Holding
company is another success story
that warrants much respect. It is
a pillar of strength for the UAE
economy and has witnessed significant
growth as it continuously shatters profit figures and forecasts
on a yearly basis.
In a short period of time, Al Qudra Holding, through
its various industrial and real estate projects, has become
a dominant player in the UAE market and is committed to
continued growth and prosperity for its shareholders and
its country.
The Gulf has indeed come a long way from its humble
roots. But as the leaders interviewed in this edition of Gulf
Leaders will tell you, this is only the beginning.
3 Introduction
4 Esam Y. Janahi
Gulf Finance House
5 HE Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad
Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al Thani
Qatar Islamic Bank
6 Eng. Salah Salem Bin Omeir
Al Shamsi
Al Qudra Holding
This project was produced by
Intermedia, Dubai.
Project Director: Vivienne Davidson
Project Manager: Amy Boeker
Visit the Gulf Leaders Special
Advertising Section online at
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GulfLeaders

4 Gulf Leaders Special Advertising Section 2007
Gulf Finance House: Continuing Bahrain’s
Success Story as an International
Financial Center
Leading Islamic investment bank
Gulf Finance House (GFH)
posts stellar earnings year after
year, capitalizing on the booming
economies of the Middle East and
Gulf Arab region. But GFH and
Esam Janahi, chief executive officer
and board member, don’t rest on
their laurels. GFH has bold plans
to build on its sterling record
and to look toward new markets
worldwide.
From infrastructural development
projects to its Energy City cluster
concepts, GFH’s diverse portfolio
has attracted regional investment.
No wonder Janahi sees these times
as the most exciting and challenging
the bank has ever experienced.
“GFH’s infrastructure development
projects have made a visible and tangible impact on
economies throughout the region. GFH is now poised to
establish a significant global presence by tapping into
emerging markets in Asia, the Far East and Europe. We
will seek further opportunities, leveraging our capabilities
in terms of portfolio diversification and geographical
expansion,” he says.
Widely recognized as a pioneering Islamic investment
bank, GFH has financed infrastructure development for
some of the largest and most ambitious projects in the
Middle East and North Africa regions. The secret to its
success, says Janahi, is the firm’s focused strategic business
plan, its exceptional management team, and the unstinting
support of its shareholders.
Headquartered in the Kingdom of Bahrain, a hub of
banking and finance in the Middle East, GFH has taken a
leadership role in mega projects that have helped build on
Bahrain’s status as the region’s financial center. In recent
years neighboring Gulf states have begun developing
financial hubs in their own markets. Dubai, Qatar and
Esam Y. Janahi
CEO and Board Member
Gulf Finance House
even Saudi Arabia are keen to
mimic the Bahrain model.
“The region has no history of
focused infrastructure for the
financial sector, so our view is that
these regional financial hubs can
collectively enhance the region’s
profile and provide it with the
much-required world-class infrastructure
to support its growth,”
says Janahi.
GFH was a major player in the
development of the $1.5 billion
Bahrain Financial Harbour (BFH), a
landmark site conceived with the
aim of reinforcing the Kingdom’s
position as the financial capital of
the Middle East and enhancing the
GCC’s attractiveness for global
financial sector players.
One could draw a parallel between BFH and Canary
Wharf. But, says Janahi,“BFH has a distinctive position in
that it is a leading financial sector focused on real-estate
product offerings.”
When you ask Janahi where he sees Gulf Finance House
ten years from now, he states: “In two words: Going forward.We
are very confident that with projects such as the
BFH, the Friendship Causeway to Qatar, the US-FTA
agreement and so forth, Bahrain’s success story as an international
financial center will only be strengthened.”
He adds, “GFH has achieved its goals by maximizing
value for clients and shareholders in accordance with
Sharia principles and thus contributing to the growth
of Islamic banking. And we intend to continue to
carefully explore new opportunities that will enhance
its geographic reach, while retaining focus on operational
expansion, simultaneously broadening the
portfolio and expanding the client and investor base.
These measures are expected to keep the bank on a path
of long-term continued growth.”
Esam Y. Janahi is CEO and a member of the board of Gulf Finance House. He is also chairman of Energy City Qatar, Gulf
Energy, the International Mercantile Exchange, and the Bahrain Financial Harbour; deputy chairman of Al Areen Holding
Company and Khaleeji Commercial Bank; and a member of the Shura Council in Bahrain.
Gulf Finance House • www.gfhouse.com

Special Advertising Section 2007
Qatar Islamic Bank: Taking Islamic
Banking to New Heights
Gulf Leaders 5
Thirty years ago, the Islamic
banking sector was in its
infancy, with virtually no presence
in Western markets. Much has
changed since then, and today the
industry is worth more than $500
billion, with a staggering growth
rate of some 20% per year.
Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) has
been at the forefront of developing
the Islamic banking sector, and in
less than three decades, QIB has
become one of the top five Islamic
banking institutions in the world.
“We have realized many achievements
over the past 25 years,” says
QIB’s Chairman, His Excellency
Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Bin Jassim
Bin Jabr Al Thani.“The most important
of these have been our role in
the birth and development of the
Islamic banking sector in Qatar and the active role that QIB
has played in developing this industry at the international
level over the last five years.”
Initially a Qatar-focused business, QIB has expanded
well beyond its borders. It has established the Arab Finance
House (AFH) in Lebanon as well as QInvest, an international
investment bank with $1 billion in capital that operates
through the Qatar Financial Centre. QIB is also a
partner in Bahrain’s Gulf Finance House and the
Solidarity Insurance Company.
Sheikh Jassim explains that the bank has also made inroads
into the European and Asian markets:“We launched the Asian
Finance Bank (AFB) in Malaysia in March 2007 with capital
of $100 million. It is a value-added contribution to QIB’s
international investments and will serve the bank’s investment
customers from around the Gulf and Asia,” he says.“AFB will
open up new business opportunities for us in the Asian markets,
which have shown increased interest in Islamic banking
and financing services.We are also looking into opening AFB
branches in Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei.”
In addition to Asia, QIB is looking to Europe for further
HE Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad
Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al Thani
Chairman
Qatar Islamic Bank
expansion. By the end of 2007 QIB
will launch the European Finance
House (EFH). EFH will be based in
London and will enable QIB to pursue
asset acquisition opportunities and
service both the gulf investors and
European companies interested in
Islamic financial products.
“Europe constitutes a pivotal economic
bloc in the world,and London is
the continent’s financial and investment
capital, with a growing demand for
Islamic banking. We see EFH as the
most efficient Islamic investment bank
to penetrate European investment
opportunities,”Sheikh Jassim says.Once
EFH is established in London,QIB will
then expand into France and Germany
where it owns real estate and most
recently bought 400 million Euros
worth of property in Germany.
Although it is looking further afield for its expansion and
growth, QIB is committed to developing its domestic
business and market share. “We care a great deal about
expanding our domestic investment base. QIB has adopted
a strategy for expansion at the local and foreign levels.
Domestically, we will be doubling the number of branches
that we have and increasing the services available in our
banking network. In addition to upgrading our retail and
corporate banking services, we will be introducing some
financial tools, such as Sukuks (Islamic bonds) and securitization,
to cope with the growing demand for mediumterm
and long-term funding,” he says.
Looking ahead to the next 25 years, Sheikh Jassim sees a
very bright future for QIB and the Islamic banking sector
as a whole. “We view the Islamic banking market as one
that will continue to grow and show further promise. As
the opportunities increase, so does the need to become
more innovative. As our slogan says, we are ‘committed to
leadership’ locally and internationally, and in 25 years you
will see QIB as a truly global bank with an enviable position
at regional and international levels,” he says.
His Excellency Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al Thani is chairman of Qatar Islamic Bank, European Finance
House, Al Jazeera Islamic Co. and QInvest, the first Islamic investment bank in Qatar that is licensed by the Qatar Financial
Centre. He has also taken part in the management and organization of several businesses and companies specializing in realestate
and investment activities.
Qatar Islamic Bank • www.qib.com.qa

6 Gulf Leaders Special Advertising Section 2007
The Abilities of Al Qudra Are Limitless
Few companies can boast the kind of meteoric growth that United Arab Emiratesbased
Al Qudra Holding has achieved in its first two years of operation.
Headquartered in the Gulf
Arab state’s capital city of
Abu Dhabi,Al Qudra, which
translates in English to ability, has
demonstrated remarkable skill and
taken on a full range of projects that
have created strong shareholder value.
Al Qudra recorded profits of 217
million dirhams (US$59 million) in
its first year.That figure ballooned to
637 million dirhams (US$173 million)
in its second year.
Al Qudra Holding Chairman of
the Board and Managing Director,
Eng. Salah Salem Bin Omeir Al
Shamsi, says the secret to his company’s
success is its ability to follow
through on opportunities that arise.
“We are a success story because we
are good at following up. It is easy to
find opportunities and to talk the talk…but we have a strong
‘follow up’ spirit and we back up our words with action.
That is part of our commitment to excellence,” he says.
Al Qudra Holding has quickly become a dominant player
in the UAE market through its various industrial and
real estate projects. It is committed to continued growth
and prosperity for its shareholders and its country. Today,
Al Qudra is a fully fledged investment company with
operations and investments in the UAE, Morocco,Algeria,
Yemen, Syria, Egypt and Senegal.
Its portfolio of investments includes real estate, industrial,
manufacturing, oil services, education, agriculture, energy,
infrastructure development and various supporting management.
With much of the Gulf Arab region witnessing a
booming real estate market, Eng. Salah Salem Bin Omeir Al
Shamsi quickly emphasizes that Al Qudra’s real estate projects
are focused on the development of townships rather
than the occasional tower. One example of this is its massive
400-acre township currently being constructed in Morocco.
“We are different in the sense that we are developing
cities.We are a master developer.We are not just retail or
Eng. Salah Salem Bin Omeir Al Shamsi
Chairman of the Board and Managing Director
Al Qudra Holding
building towers, we look at whole
plans,” he says.
In addition to its light and heavy
industry investments, Al Qudra is
also involved in medical and sporting
projects in the UAE.
But as Eng. Salah Salem Bin Omeir
Al Shamsi explains, Al Qudra’s most
important project will come later this
year when it goes public.
“We will be a public company by
year end. This is not a claim, it is
a reality,” he says boldly. The initial
public offering is expected to be held
in November, Eng. Salah Salem Bin
Omeir Al Shamsi adds. “Within five
years, the company will be fully
matured, we will increase our capital
and we will be public. This will enable
us to become a bigger company and
continue to expand and fine-tune our business operations.”
He explains,“I like challenges and competition.All of us
at Al Qudra work hard to create strong shareholder value
and are always moving forward. As a pioneering company,
we want to add to what Dubai has done. We try to do
projects that have never been done before. That way, we
give the buyer a choice.”
Learning from others and examining other successful
projects and operations has helped guide Al Qudra’s success.
“To capitalize from other people’s success and experience
is important. It allows us to learn from them and also
explore ways to build on that success,” he says. “What
makes us special and better prepared for the future is the
fact that we take our time to examine cases so that we can
do it better, add value and increase investment.”
It is clear that Eng. Salah Salem Bin Omeir Al Shamsi
has a clear vision for the company, which has positioned
him as an excellent corporate ambassador for Abu Dhabi.
And if Al Qudra’s profits from its initial two years of operation
are any indication, then the sky is truly the limit for
this rapidly growing investment company.
Eng. Salah Salem Bin Omeir Al Shamsi is chairman of the Chamber of Commerce & Industry for the Gulf Region, United Arab
Emirates and Abu Dhabi; chairman and managing director for Al Qudra Holding; vice chairman of Al Qula Investment Company;
member of the board for the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and the Abu Dhabi Economic Development; and member of the honorary
board for Al Ain Sports Club. He has also contributed to the establishment of various other companies including Al Rayan
Company, Al Khazna Insurance and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank.
Al Qudra Holding • www.alqudraholding.ae