From banks to property and from cars to jewellery, Hussain Ibrahim Alfardan has interests in most sectors. He is chairman of one of the largest family conglomerates in the Gulf, the Alfardan Group, which he re-established 60 years ago, starting with a small jewellery shop and a currency exchange operation. Nowadays, it holds the local franchise licence to sell BMWs, Ferraris, Maseratis, Jaguars and Land Rovers in Qatar, while its real estate arm has a huge portfolio of property in Qatar and Oman. The group is also active in investments, hospitality, marine services, jewellery and currency exchange. He was one of the driving forces behind the foundation of Commercial Bank Qatar, which opened in 1975, and of the Pearl-Qatar, the archipelago of manmade islands just off Doha.