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Lesha Bank said in a press release distributed via Zawya that Doha Investment had made a further investment in the Lesha Qatar Equity Fund. The commitment comes as an addition to the Qatar Investment Authority’s initial seeding of the fund in early August. Doha Investment operates as the dedicated platform managing the QIA’s portfolio of domestic assets with a mandate to accelerate Qatar’s economic growth. The bank highlighted that two successive allocations in quick succession demonstrated strong institutional confidence in both the fund’s strategy and Lesha Bank’s active management approach.
The Lesha Qatar Equity Fund functions as a Shariah-compliant actively managed vehicle that provides exposure to the long-term expansion of Qatar’s economy and its capital markets. It targets capital growth alongside income generation by investing in a diversified selection of Shariah-compliant equities listed in Qatar. According to the announcement the structure aligns with broader goals of increasing market liquidity and encouraging wider institutional involvement in local equities. The Qatar Stock Exchange reported in late October that the Active Asset Management Initiative underpinning these commitments had expanded to QR5 billion from an earlier QR2.6 billion target.
Launched in 2024 the QIA’s Active Asset Management Initiative has partnered with both international and local managers to channel capital into Qatari listed companies. Lesha Bank became the first domestic participant when the QIA made its initial investment in August joining previous collaborators that included Ashmore Fiera Capital and Franklin Templeton according to initiative summaries published by market observers. The program allows for capital commitments that can involve reallocation of Qatar Stock Exchange holdings to selected asset managers. This latest move by Doha Investment reinforces the initiative’s emphasis on professional management and diversified investor participation in the local market.
Mohammed Ismail Al Emadi Group CEO of Lesha Bank said in the statement “We are delighted by Doha Investment’s continued support for the Lesha Qatar Equity Fund which reflects confidence in the Fund and in the discipline of our active investment approach.” He added that as a local Qatari institution the bank prioritises attracting capital to the domestic equity market to support its sustained development. The comments underscore Lesha Bank’s position as an established player with reported assets under management reaching QAR 19.2 billion by the end of June 2026 reflecting 78 percent year-on-year growth per the bank’s operational updates.
Doha Investment’s involvement advances objectives around deepening liquidity broadening the investor base and advancing the asset management sector in Qatar. By directing long-term institutional capital through specialist managers the effort contributes to more robust price discovery and trading activity on the Qatar Stock Exchange. Industry assessments indicate the initiative has already prompted increased research coverage of Qatari companies and narrower bid-ask spreads since its inception. Lesha Bank which was established in 2008 continues to expand its role in this evolving landscape through products focused on compliant domestic equities.
