Ali Al Kuwari, Acting CEO, Msheireb Properties • Interview
By building smart infrastructure for its projects even years ago, Msheireb Properties was able to showcase how resilient and strong it was even in tough times.
What were the main highlights for Msheireb Properties over the past year?
For the last part of 2019 and the first half of 2020, Msheireb Properties was extremely successful and we saw outstanding achievements in our journey. In the second half of 2019, Msheireb Downtown Doha saw the opening of its third five-star hotel, the Park Hyatt Doha, which followed the openings of the Alwadi Hotel - MGallery and Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Doha, both of which were launched in early 2019. We also worked on the connections with Doha Metro, which has become extremely popular with residents. In 2020, Msheireb Properties signed a collaboration agreement with Qatar University in the area of smart cities and an MoU with Siemens to provide smart city solutions within Msheireb Downtown Doha. The year also saw the virtual launch of Al Khail Apartments, for which we offered virtual tours for those looking to live in our smart city, allowing them to discover our unique offerings from the comfort of their own homes. Finally, we cannot forget the launch of Msheireb Tram, our smart transportation solution for Msheireb Downtown Doha, inaugurated in 2020.
How is the rapid adoption of digital technologies during the pandemic impacting your strategy?
The early vision of Msheireb Downtown Doha set by the board focused on building a smart infrastructure in this development and subsequently changing the way people think about urban living and improving their overall quality of life. It was a real test for us to showcase how strong we are and how we can face this extraordinary situation. During the pandemic, we truly experienced the importance of technology in finding solutions. We were equipped with the latest smart solutions and dealing with this pandemic was fast and smooth for us. From the beginning, we invested to be one of the smartest city districts in the world. Thanks to our early investments in communications and infrastructure, there were no disruptions. Msheireb Properties is completely in line with the vision of Qatar 2030. We support human development, even in the most challenging scenarios. Furthermore, we hold the highest standards of corporate governance, ethics, and environmental policy. On top of this, we support local talent and are actively looking to increase our Qatarization ratio, as well as the enhancement of local culture and heritage. Our future is based on the concept of collective gain, where we enrich all the lives we touch. In pursuit of this, we will create a knowledge ecosystem inspired by Qatar National Vision 2030, through which we will deliver cultural, societal, environmental, and knowledge wealth for all whom we work with.
How will the new PPP law affect development plans for Msheireb Properties?
The private sector will play a vital role in adopting the latest smart solutions and turning Doha into a smart city of the future. In Msheireb Downtown Doha, we are already leveraging these laws. We have active partnerships with private-sector companies that are providing a wide range of solutions and services in areas such as home smart solutions, inner-city transportation, smart parking, smart and sustainable offices, and residential spaces, among others. The PPP Law will have a positive impact in our city district as it will increase footfall. There has been growing interest from international firms who would like to have a presence in Qatar and need the private sector to help achieve all our goals and develop Msheireb Downtown Doha to its full potential.
What are your plans for 2021?
2021 will be another year of activation; we are moving at full speed in terms of opening stores and bringing in retailers, with international brands opening here for the first time at Msheireb Downtown Doha. We will be launching our mall, Msheireb Galleria, at the end of the first quarter. We have reached only 40% of our capacity and will complete phase four in the second half of the year.