Qatar’s Family Offices on Course To Shift From Conservative Wealth Managers to Bold Venture Investors: Al-Sowaidi

Qatar's family offices are in the path of shifting to "bold" venture capital (VC) investments, which have emerged as a powerful driver of growth, according to a top official of the Qatar Development Bank (QDB).

In the GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council), family offices are shifting from conservative wealth managers to bold venture investors, and "Qatar’s ecosystem is ready for this transformation," QDB chief executive officer Abdulrahman bin Hesham al-Sowaidi on Wednesday told the seventh edition of Investment Forum 2025, organised by QDB in association with Young Entrepreneurs Club.

"As Qatar moves with confidence towards 2030, opportunities have never been more exciting. Investment is yielding growth and the market is laden with potential," he said.

Highlighting that QDB continues to be a key enabler for the nation's VC space, maintaining strong growth through 2025; he said QDB's direct and indirect investments (as of today) exceed QR350mn, resulting in more than 1,100 direct and indirect new jobs, thus contributing to a strong private sector capable of driving Qatar diversification.

"Our mandate has expanded beyond local boundaries in alignment with our new strategy, positioning Qatar as the centre of tomorrow's opportunities. We launched the Startup Qatar Investment Programme, opening Qatar's door to global founders, capital, and ideas," according to him.

In two years, this programme has directed more than QR120mn into more than 30 companies, scaling their growth and projecting their reach beyond its borders, he said, adding "this is only the opening chapter."

Following the success of the first phase, QDB expanded the programme's capacity further, attracting 177 applications from 27 countries.

"With more than 40 entrepreneurs already benefiting from this community, the programme is establishing itself as a true hub of global talent," according to al-Sowaidi.

Stressing that a great economy is not built on capital alone, but on knowledge, on talent and on trust and it is why QDB continues to invest in people; he said through its VC training programme, more than 170 investors are now equipped to play a leading role in the VC landscape of tomorrow.

"By the end of 2024, private sector participation in the VC scene reached 57% of total investment, surpassing the 50% target set for the same year," according to him.

The QDB official said VC funding in the Middle East nearly doubled in the first half of 2025, reaching about $1.35bn, despite a global VC slowdown.

"In Qatar and beyond, private capital from high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and venture funds has emerged as a powerful driver of growth," he said, adding globally, family offices are rethinking how to preserve and grow assets across generations, as assets under their management are projected to exceed $5tn by 2030, underscoring their rising influence in finance.

Placing particular emphasis on the growing role of family offices both regionally and globally; al-Sowaidi said these institutions have become vital partners in shaping the future of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, leveraging accumulated expertise and directing investments toward the sectors of tomorrow.