Qtel pondering joint venture with sovereign wealth fund

According to Reuters, Qatar Telecom (Qtel) is in talks over a partnership with the country’s sovereign wealth fund to jointly fund the group’s international expansion plans. Qtel chairman Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al Thani was quoted by Arabic language daily El Raya as saying: ‘We are about to sign a partnership agreement between Qtel and the Qatar Investment Authority so that we become an investment arm of the authority … there is agreement to establish a joint company to invest and seize appropriate opportunities in telecommunications and information technology abroad.’