business interview | fund management
and operating out of the Qatar Financial Centre which increases the competition a little bit. But on the other hand, increased competitiveness results in hopefully a better product or service to the...client.” TFI’s investment banking philosophy is simple: to add value to the clientele in a transparent manner. “We are a local Shari’ah-compliant investment company that has a track record of bringing value added products to our clients and investors,” adds Al Subeai. “We are a Qatari investment bank regulated by the Central Bank and work closely with our parent company Barwa Bank in structuring and placing products.” The existing client list of TFI, he reveals, spans big corporates, high net worth individuals and retail clients (accessed though Barwa Bank). TFI’s funds are designed to access sectors to invest in Qatar and internationally. On returns, Al Subeai says that through their products and services, TFI offers the investors a yield of enhancement over the existing exposure that they are currently entitled to.“For example, an investor might earn three to four percent for investing in equities, whereas our products are income-generating. The gains are tangible and they earn between seven and nine percent. It is a clear value-enhancing proposition that we can offer to our clients.”
“The gains of investing in our income-generating real estate funds is tangible. Investors earn between seven and nine percent.” Asset management
TFI recently launched the TFI GCC Equities Opportunities Fund (Q), an open-ended fund investing in equities and equity-related securities listed on exchanges in the GCC countries. The fund is seeking to achieve long-term capital growth through investments in a broadly diversified regional portfolio of stocks. The fund managed to attract more than QAR100 million during the first few months following its launch, making it one of the biggest open-ended funds domiciled in Qatar. Since inception, the fund has achieved double-digit returns. This fund was awarded Best Islamic Investment Fund at the Banker Middle East Product Awards 2013. Looking forward, equity markets should attract significant amounts of liquidity as investors are getting low to negative (after inflation) returns from holding cash or low-yielding fixed-income securities. Al Subeai tells The Edge that the trajectory in his career from Qatar Petroleum to Morgan Stanley to CEO of Qatari investment bank TFI has been a natural transition.
68 | The Edge