A Career Defined by Growth, Elevating Urban Living, and Redefining Qatar’s Skyline!
Having a powerful vision for what you want to accomplish is just the first step on any journey. The challenging but rewarding part is putting in the hard work to turn that vision into a tangible reality that creates value and impact. Whether it’s a business idea, creative endeavor, or personal goal, making your vision thrive takes immense dedication and strategic effort.
“How do you go from vision to reality?” asks Eng. Ali Al Kuwari, a man whose career path has been defined by his ability to answer that question with clarity and action.
With nearly two decades of experience in the real estate and energy industries, Ali’s journey to the summit of Qatar’s property sector has been marked by a tenacious pursuit of excellence and creativity.
Having held senior management positions at Technip in Paris and Qatar Petroleum, Al Kuwari’s transition into the property sector was a natural evolution, driven by his passion for transformative projects. His tenure at Msheireb Properties began as the Chief Officer for the Design and Delivery Directorate of the Msheireb Downtown Project, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the future skyline of Qatar’s capital.
Recognized as an “Agent of Change,” his leadership style is distinctive for balancing a hands-on approach with people empowerment, which has propelled Msheireb Properties to new heights and earned him the reputation of a “Business Performance Strategist.” Under his strategic influence, the organization has witnessed rapid growth, with Al Kuwari spearheading initiatives that drove sustainable development and operational excellence.
Today, as the CEO of Msheireb Properties since January 2023, Ali charts a new course for liveable, environmentally conscious communities through his position at the helm of Msheireb Properties, cementing his legacy as a pioneer in Qatar’s property industry and beyond.
Let us explore his journey:
Pioneering Sustainable Urban Development in Qatar
Ali was keen to share insights into Msheireb Properties and its inception story, describing it as Qatar’s premier sustainable property developer. He highlighted their flagship project, Msheireb Downtown Doha, hailed as the world’s first sustainably regenerated city district. The primary aim behind Msheireb Downtown Doha, as Ali explained, was to revolutionize urban living paradigms, cultivating a deeper sense of community, connectivity among neighbours, and a harmonious balance between work and leisure.
Having been closely involved in this journey for several years, Ali expressed his ongoing excitement at witnessing Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser’s vision for a development that merges progress and history come to life through Msheireb Properties’ pioneering efforts, particularly showcased in the transformative development of Msheireb Downtown Doha.
Flagship Developments and Hospitality Assets
Throughout his career with Msheireb Properties, Ali has been involved in many of the company’s most significant projects. In particular, he played a crucial role in the development of Msheireb Downtown Doha, serving as the Chief Officer for the Design and Delivery Directorate.
In this capacity, Ali also oversaw the launch and operations of major assets at Msheireb Downtown Doha, including the Mandarin Oriental Hotels, Al Wadi Hotel M Gallery, Park Hyatt, as well as the Zulal Wellness Resort situated on Qatar’s picturesque north coast, all developed by Msheireb Properties.
During the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar, Ali directed the seamless operation of various events in the Msheireb Downtown Doha development, including the hosting of the official FIFA media center.
Ali’s leadership and oversight of these high-profile hospitality and event components are sources of great pride and accomplishment for him and the organization. His ability to deliver such large-scale and prestigious elements of this major development is a testament to his expertise and the team’s collective success.
Balancing Strategic Vision and Operational Excellence
Ali has demonstrated a keen ability to balance the strategic and operational aspects of his role, enhancing the company’s position as a premier tourist and business destination.
“It is a balance, and one that my leadership team, with the support of our esteemed Board of Directors, is careful to achieve with our decisions,” he explained. At the strategic level, the organization is conscious of its guiding principles, prioritizing sustainability while ensuring its assets are places where people want to visit and spend time.
Importantly, he noted that these two ideas are not mutually exclusive. “We have found that they can be quite complementary. For example, by implementing strategic policies that make our sites more environmentally sustainable, we can create a better environment for our patrons, and we can organically become a place that visitors want to return to—these ambitions can be quite circular.”
This thoughtful approach to blending Msheireb Properties’ overarching vision with meticulous operational execution has been central to the company’s success in establishing itself as a leading tourist and business hub.
Managing Complexities in Construction Phases
During the construction phases of Msheireb Downtown Doha, Ali encountered numerous challenging situations, as is typical for projects of such scale and ambition. Rather than highlighting a specific instance, he explains that the greatest value lies in learning from these difficult experiences. He believes that adversity stimulates courage and endurance and that it is crucial to apply these lessons to future challenges.
Leveraging Background Knowledge
Effectively leveraging his career and academic experience to drive innovation within Msheireb Properties, Ali’s practical training in Industrial Engineering provided him with a deep understanding of the technical challenges involved in building in a sustainable way, which is the foundation of Msheireb Properties’ development ethos.
By combining his technical expertise with his vision and motivation to use design to solve challenges affecting communities in the region and globally in a way that is good for the planet and the people, he has been able to drive innovation and sustainability within the organization.
Ali explained, “We can combine these two seemingly different things if we embrace innovation – from thinking right through to implementation and drawing on the latest highly technical advancements in building practices.”
Making Major Event Moves
During the FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar, one of Ali’s key responsibilities was to direct the seamless operation of various events in the Msheireb Downtown Doha, including the hosting of the official FIFA media center.
Ali gathered a top-notch team around him, including those experienced in media management to help understand what guests needed and meet those needs every single day. While the media were not in Qatar to report on Msheireb, it was a vital opportunity for to showcase Qatar’s credentials in sustainable development. Ali established very clear troubleshooting protocols, so that any issue was resolved quickly and did not escalate into a bigger problem. It was these basic steps, and the talented and dedicated team working alongside Ali, that safeguarded operations during this busy time.
Integrating Core Values
To ensure that the values of Msheireb Properties—excellence, innovation, leadership, partnership, and responsibility—are integrated into the company’s strategic and operational plans, Ali stresses the collective ownership of these values within the team. He underscores the importance of embedding these values into the organizational culture, recognizing that achieving the vision requires a unified effort.
The commitment to world-class research, design, engineering, and architecture at Msheireb Properties is deeply influenced by the culture of excellence spearheaded by Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, Msheireb Properties parent company and an organization spearheading transformative chance in the country. The company’s approach to innovation involves challenging traditional norms to create integrated, sustainable, and enriching living and working environments. By establishing new standards for sustainable and culturally sensitive developments, Msheireb Properties leads the industry.
Aligned with the principles of Qatar National Vision 2030, Msheireb Properties operates within a knowledge ecosystem that aims to generate cultural, societal, environmental, and knowledge wealth for all stakeholders. Msheireb Properties innovates by challenging convention and finding new ways for people to live and work in integrated, enriching, and sustainable communities. It is committed to being a responsible corporate citizen that respects local culture and community, heritage and the environment.
Harnessing Essential Leadership Qualities
When reflecting on the leadership qualities essential for overseeing the development and implementation of strategic plans for a complex project like Msheireb Downtown Doha, Ali highlighted two key attributes: “It is about assembling the right team and having a clear vision so that everyone, no matter what part of the project they are involved with, is aware of where we are going, and what their role is.” As a leader, he emphasizes the importance of communicating his expectations clearly and being able to trust his world-class team to deliver on the project’s objectives.
By carefully curating a talented and experienced team, he ensures that Msheireb Downtown Doha benefits from a diverse range of expertise and perspectives. Coupled with a steadfast obligation to a unifying strategic vision, this leadership approach allows each member of the team to understand their specific role and how it contributes to the success of the entire enterprise.
Furthermore, his ability to articulate his expectations with clarity empowers his team to work cohesively towards the shared objectives. This, in turn, cultivates an environment of trust and accountability, where he can confidently rely on his team to execute effectively.
Through this combination of team building, vision-setting, and clear communication, Ali has demonstrated the essential leadership qualities required to oversee the complex and multifaceted development of Msheireb Downtown Doha, one of Msheireb Properties’ most ambitious and transformative projects.
Approach to Staying Current on Industry Trends
To stay up to date on industry trends and best practices, Ali relies on building and maintaining strong connections with colleagues across the region. Ali says that attending industry forums and conferences is one of the best ways to stay informed about the latest trends and developments in the field.
Additionally, he recognizes the importance of engaging with various stakeholders, ensuring that they are aware of any concerns and can proactively identify issues and develop mitigation strategies as needed.
A Global Project Case Study
During the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Msheireb Downtown Doha emerged as a premier destination for tourists and residents, attracting over 4 million visitors with engaging exhibitions, curated activities, and serving as the site for the international media center. Ali’s leadership helped showcase the district as a global destination with distinctive architecture and innovative smart features. The newly regenerated downtown gained worldwide attention, solidifying its reputation as a city at the forefront of modernity and a new approach to urban living.
Building strong relationships with partners and stakeholders ahead of time was crucial to Ali’s success. The outcomes included a significant increase in visitor numbers, positive media coverage, and international recognition for the district’s innovative smart features and sustainable design.
As an “Agent of Change,” how have you implemented significant transformations within the organization to improve its overall performance and efficiency?
One of the biggest shifts Msheireb Properties has undergone in recent years is transitioning our team’s focus from working for a developer to becoming both a developer and operator of Msheireb Downtown Doha. This strategic shift was aimed at ensuring that the mission of Msheireb Properties when designing and building Msheireb Downtown Doha, to change the way people think about urban living, was achieved effectively.
To support this shift, I knew it was critical to empower engineers and young leaders at Msheireb Properties to take on operational responsibilities. By doing so, we ensured that decision-making processes were more agile and responsive to emerging challenges. I wanted to encourage a culture of innovation and embrace a startup mentality, thinking like a small company to swiftly adapt to new circumstances and overcome obstacles.
Recognizing the importance of research and development in staying ahead of smart city and sustainability trends, I championed efforts to support innovative approaches within Msheireb Properties. We invested resources in R&D activities to stay ahead of the curve and remain competitive in the market.
Finally, we would not be here without our partners and collaborators who support our initiatives, particularly the Msheireb Downtown Doha project. Working closely with our partners helped us row in the same direction towards making Msheireb Downtown Doha a smart, sustainable, international tourist and business destination.
