Qatar Sovereign Fund Plans to Expand Activities in Asia

The Qatari flag is seen at a park near Doha Corniche, in Doha, Qatar February 17, 2018. (Reuters)
The Qatari flag is seen at a park near Doha Corniche, in Doha, Qatar February 17, 2018. (Reuters)
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Qatar Sovereign Fund Plans to Expand Activities in Asia

The Qatari flag is seen at a park near Doha Corniche, in Doha, Qatar February 17, 2018. (Reuters)
The Qatari flag is seen at a park near Doha Corniche, in Doha, Qatar February 17, 2018. (Reuters)

Head of Asia-Pacific Advisory at the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) Abdullah Al-Kuwari announced that the country's sovereign wealth fund is currently expanding its operations in Australia, South Korea, and Southeast Asia, according to a report by Reuters.

Speaking at the Milken Institute Asia Summit in Singapore, Al-Kuwari said QIA is identifying investment opportunities, including corporate spin-offs and acquisition deals in Japan, along with prospects in the technology sector in India.

The Qatar Investment Authority, one of the largest investors globally, manages assets estimated at $526 billion, as reported by the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute.

Al-Kuwari indicated that the fund plans to increase its workforce in Australia and South Korea and has already started building its team in Japan, with plans to further expand. He emphasized Japan as a key market for QIA’s future focus.

The fund’s expansion in Asia, where it already holds stakes in the London Stock Exchange and Spain’s Iberdrola, aligns with its strategy to diversify investments beyond its traditional European and American markets.

In June, Reuters reported that QIA had agreed to acquire a 10% stake in China Asset Management, the second-largest mutual fund company in China.



Aramco Plans Transition Minerals Joint Venture with Ma'aden

 The proposed JV would focus on energy transition minerals, including extracting lithium from high-concentration deposits and advancing cost-effective direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies - File Photo
The proposed JV would focus on energy transition minerals, including extracting lithium from high-concentration deposits and advancing cost-effective direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies - File Photo
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Aramco Plans Transition Minerals Joint Venture with Ma'aden

 The proposed JV would focus on energy transition minerals, including extracting lithium from high-concentration deposits and advancing cost-effective direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies - File Photo
The proposed JV would focus on energy transition minerals, including extracting lithium from high-concentration deposits and advancing cost-effective direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies - File Photo

Aramco, one of the world's leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, and Ma'aden, the largest multi-commodity mining and metals company in the Middle East and North Africa region, announced on Wednesday the signing of non-binding Heads of Terms, which envisages the formation of a minerals exploration and mining joint venture (JV) in Saudi Arabia.
According to a press release, the proposed JV would focus on energy transition minerals, including extracting lithium from high-concentration deposits and advancing cost-effective direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies. Commercial lithium production is likely to commence by 2027.
This JV is expected to extend Aramco's capabilities into an adjacent sector, leveraging its technological innovation resource and data management skills. It would seek to unlock the potential of the Kingdom's high-value mineral resources, with the aim of helping meet the growing demand for lithium and other transition minerals both domestically and globally. The JV is expected to harness natural resources utilizing a wealth of subsurface data and emerging technologies to advance the Kingdom's economic diversification and energy ambitions, according to SPA.
The statements also added that there is significant potential for the extraction of energy transition minerals in the Kingdom. For example, Aramco has identified several areas with a high lithium concentration of up to 400 parts per million as part of its operations. The JV will benefit from Aramco's expertise and operations, including the use of existing infrastructure, industry-leading drilling operations, and more than 90 years of geological data in its area of operations.
Aramco Upstream President Nasir K. Al-Naimi said, "This announcement reflects Aramco's focus on positively contributing to the global energy transition. The proposed JV will enable the extraction of energy transition minerals, contributing to the growth of more sustainable energy solutions while diversifying our portfolio for a lower-carbon future. We expect that this partnership will leverage the world's leading upstream enterprise to apply significant low-cost advantages, industry experience, technological innovation, accumulated subsurface knowledge and an integrated supply chain ecosystem, with a view to meeting the Kingdom and potentially the world's projected lithium demand."
Ma'aden Senior Vice President of Exploration Darryl Clark stated, "Ma'aden has been undertaking one of the world's largest single-jurisdiction exploration programs across the Arabian Shield to unearth the estimated $2.5 trillion mineral endowment. This proposed JV would enable us to accelerate exploration of the Arabian Platform, combining Aramco's knowledge of the area with Ma'aden's mining and exploration expertise."
Lithium is a fundamental component of the energy transition, essential for production in fast-growing sectors such as electric vehicles, energy storage, and renewables. The global demand for lithium has tripled over the past five years, and its compound annual growth rate is anticipated to exceed 15% annually through 2035. The JV could help meet the Kingdom's forecasted demand for lithium, which is expected to grow twenty-fold between 2024 and 2030, supporting an estimated 500,000 electric vehicle batteries and 110 GW of renewables.
The planned JV, which is subject to customary closing conditions including regulatory approvals, was announced during the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh.