The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) has announced a significant partnership with US-based asset manager Franklin Templeton to launch the Franklin Templeton Qatar Equity Fund. The new initiative, aimed at enhancing liquidity in the nation’s stock market, will commence with $200 million in capital.
A Strategic Push for Market Liquidity
QIA will act as the anchor investor for the fund, contributing both cash and stock to the new vehicle. The Franklin Templeton Qatar Equity Fund is structured as a daily-dealing mutual fund, offering an actively managed portfolio of equities listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange to both global and local institutional investors.
QIA CEO Mohammed Saif Al-Sowaidi said the fund’s launch will expand the sovereign’s active asset management initiative to support Qatar’s financial markets.
Building a Long-Term Partnership
The collaboration is viewed as more than a one-off investment, signaling a deeper strategic alignment between the two financial giants.
Jenny Johnson, CEO of Franklin Templeton, commented, “We see this collaboration as the beginning of a long-term strategic partnership and part of a broader, multi-asset collaboration between Franklin Templeton and QIA.”
QIA’s Broader Investment Strategy
This move aligns with QIA’s recent efforts to bolster Qatar’s market infrastructure and deploy capital strategically. In June, the sovereign wealth fund anchored the $200 million Fiera Qatar Equity Strategy fund with a similar goal of supporting market liquidity.
Beyond its domestic focus, QIA recently backed a private real estate fund in Singapore’s commercial property market and, in January, signed a preliminary agreement with Goldman Sachs, committing $25 billion to US-managed funds and co-investment opportunities.
About Qatar Investment Authority (QIA)
The Qatar Investment Authority is the sovereign wealth fund of the State of Qatar. Established in 2005, QIA is responsible for investing and managing the state’s financial reserves to secure a prosperous future for generations to come. According to data platform Global SWF, QIA has nearly $580 billion in assets under management.
Source: AGBI
