Qatar First Bank (QFB), a leading Shari’ah compliant lender, has partnered with leading global developer JLL to offer shareholders and clients the ability to source real estate opportunities based on their specific requirements and budget.

Signed at QFB’s private banking lounge in Doha, the agreement provides specialised real estate services to individuals and corporates seeking to add value to their portfolios by owning, occupying and investing in real estate across the world.

Nizar Ahmadi, the head of private banking and wealth management, said: "QFB, which has recently had a successful listing of its shares on the Qatar Stock Exchange, is continuing to execute on its strategy of shifting from being investment focused to investor focused."

"By partnering with JLL, and in line with the increased appetite for real estate investments globally, our shareholders, as well as private, corporate and institutional clients have now the opportunity to benefit from JLL’s real estate expertise through more than 280 corporate offices that have operations across 80 countries," stated Ahmadi.

"This is another milestone for the bank, and we will continue to invest in our Sharia’h compliant services and products," he added.

Scott Strachan, the executive director (Alternative Investments), said: "This agreement is in line with our strategy to position QFB as a trusted advisor and gateway for investors who wish to tap into innovative, Shari’ah-compliant, financial solutions and investment opportunities in local, regional and global markets."

"We are at the beginning of a new era and partnering with JLL is part of our efforts to identify and seize new attractive opportunities, deliver excellence and robust returns for our clients, and build a strong brand," stated the official

“JLL has access to one of the broadest catalogues of real estate opportunities as well having extensive research capabilities to support it,” added Strachan.

Will McKintosh, JLL’s director and joint-head of residential for Mena, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for both parties. Since the very beginning we have always found the team at QFB to be extremely professional and proactive in dealing with their clients and our mutual client’s needs."

"The result will be a more cohesive and wider range of services for all our clients and a mutual benefit to both QFB and JLL," he added.-TradeArabia News Service