As head of Qatari Diar, Al Saad has over seen the fund’s investment of its $1bn capital into a variety of projects spread across the world. And with more than 80 projects, worth about $60bn, currently in varying stages of progress, Al Saad has his hands full.

Among the fund’s most prominent overseas assets is the Chelsea Barracks development. In 2010, Al Saad oversaw the settlement of a legal battle with a UK firm over ownership rights of the project.In November, the fund entered negotiations with Indonesia’s investment arm, Gita Wirjawan, to develop a $600m tourism project.