Faisal Al-Thani
About Faisal Al‑Thani
Faisal Bin Saoud Al‑Thani (age 47) is Chief Operating Officer at Qatar Investment Authority (QIA); he joined QIA in May 2007 after roles leading Business Development and working in M&A, where he executed transactions including Harrods, Costa Smeralda, and Iberdrola . He was nominated to GBTG’s Board by QIA under the Shareholders Agreement and elected as an independent Class III director in 2025; he is recorded as a GBTG director signatory on the company’s Oct 29, 2025 S‑3ASR . Education: B.S. in Business Administration & Finance (California State University Dominguez Hills) and Harvard Leadership Program (2014/2015) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) | Chief Operating Officer | Joined May 2007 | Senior leadership overseeing operations across investment portfolio |
| Qatar Investment Authority | Head, Business Development | N/D | Led origination and corporate development initiatives |
| Qatar Investment Authority | M&A Department Member | N/D | Executed notable deals (Harrods, Costa Smeralda, Iberdrola) |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qatar Holding Smeralda Investment | Chairman | N/D | Portfolio company leadership in leisure/hospitality assets |
| Wessal Capital (Morocco) | Board Director | N/D | Tourism/real estate investment platform governance |
| Q Power Holding LLC | Director | N/D | Energy portfolio governance |
| QIA Florence Holding LLC | Director | N/D | European holding entity governance |
| RR SMR Ltd | Director | N/D | Industrial/aviation related governance |
| Farsound Aviation Limited | Director | N/D | Aviation supply chain governance |
Board Governance
- Status: Independent director under NYSE and SEC rules; GBTG reports eight independent directors including Faisal Al‑Thani .
- Committee assignments: None disclosed at nomination; not listed on Audit & Finance, Compensation, Risk Management & Compliance, or Nominating & Corporate Governance in the 2025 proxy .
- Board activity/attendance context: In 2024, Board met 7 times; committees met 19 times; all incumbents met ≥75% attendance except one director (73%). Non‑management directors held executive sessions at each regularly scheduled Board meeting .
- Leadership: Chair separated from CEO; Greg O’Hara serves as Chairman .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board cash retainer (Director) | $85,000 | Paid quarterly in arrears |
| Meeting fee premium | $2,000 per meeting above thresholds | Applies for Board meetings >10 and Committee meetings above set caps |
| Committee chair supplemental retainer | $10,000–$20,000 | Audit & Finance ($20k), Compensation ($15k), Nominating ($15k), Risk ($10k) |
| Committee member supplemental retainer | $10,000–$15,000 | Audit & Finance ($15k); other committees ($10k) |
| Annual director RSU grant | $200,000 | RSUs granted at annual meeting; vest at next annual meeting; pro‑rated for partial terms |
Note: Certain non‑employee directors do not receive equity grants; policy states stock ownership guidelines do not apply to directors who do not receive equity compensation .
Performance Compensation
- Non‑employee directors do not have performance‑based pay; RSU awards for directors are time‑based and vest on the next annual meeting (or pro‑rated for partial terms) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Entity | Type | Potential Interlock/Exposure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) | Sovereign wealth fund; 18.3% GBTG holder via QH Travel LP | Significant shareholder oversight rights under Shareholders Agreement | QIA nominated Al‑Thani to GBTG Board; approval rights over certain corporate actions |
| Farsound Aviation; RR SMR Ltd; Smeralda holdings | Aviation/industrial; leisure assets | Sector adjacency to travel ecosystem | Monitor for transactions with GBTG suppliers/customers; none disclosed – |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Core credentials: Investment management, corporate finance, and cross‑border M&A execution; COO at QIA .
- Education: B.S. Business Administration & Finance (CSU Dominguez Hills); Harvard Leadership Program 2014/2015 .
- Board‑relevant skills: Strategic capital allocation, portfolio operations, deal governance .
Equity Ownership
- Individual beneficial ownership: Not disclosed in GBTG’s 2025 proxy beneficial ownership table for directors/director nominees; no line item for Faisal Al‑Thani .
- Affiliated holder: QIA beneficially owns 87,659,000 Class A shares (18.3%) via QH Travel LP .
- Director stock ownership guidelines: 5x annual cash retainer for non‑employee directors; exceptions apply to directors who do not receive equity; 5‑year compliance window; 50% net shares retention until guideline met .
- Hedging/pledging: Prohibited for directors; insider trading policy in place .
Governance Assessment
- Independence and nomination: While classified as independent, Al‑Thani was nominated by QIA, a major shareholder with board nomination rights and reserved approvals for certain actions; this can create perceived influence from a significant investor despite formal independence –.
- Board effectiveness signals: Clear committee charters, regular executive sessions, majority independent board, and separation of Chair/CEO support governance quality; attention needed on evolution of Al‑Thani’s committee assignments to assess oversight breadth –.
- Alignment and incentives: Director compensation is balanced (cash + time‑based RSUs) with ownership guidelines and strict hedging/pledging prohibitions; clawback policies for executives reinforce culture of accountability (positive governance environment) .
- Conflicts/related‑party exposure: Shareholders Agreement provides QIA (and American Express, Expedia) certain approval and nomination rights; monitor for any transactions with QIA affiliates or entities where Al‑Thani serves as director—none beyond governance agreements disclosed in the proxy – –.
- Attendance/engagement: 2024 attendance strong at board/committee level; Al‑Thani joined in 2025, so prior‑year attendance not applicable; monitor 2025–2026 attendance as committees are assigned .
Insider Filings/Activity
| Date | Filing | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 29, 2025 | S‑3ASR | Al‑Thani signed as GBTG Director, confirming active board service |
No Form 4 insider transactions for Al‑Thani were identified in our document search; continue monitoring EDGAR for Form 3/4/5 updates [Search conducted across GBTG documents; no Form 4 returned].
Key References
- Director nomination, biography, independence, and roles
- Committee structures and charters –
- Director compensation policy and RSU mechanics
- Beneficial ownership and QIA stake
- Insider trading and hedging/pledging policies
- S‑3ASR director signature (Oct 29, 2025)