Barzan Holdings Has Big Goals in Global Defence Market

Our Bureau - : Sep 26, 2024 - : 2:31 pm

Barzan Holdings, which is owned by the State of Qatar, is clear about its intention. “We aim to grow into a major player in the global defence market,” says Sultan Ibrahim Al-Kuwari, Programme Development Director at Barzan Holdings, in an...

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Barzan Holdings, which is owned by the State of Qatar, is clear about its intention.

“We aim to grow into a major player in the global defence market,” says Sultan Ibrahim Al-Kuwari, Programme Development Director at Barzan Holdings, in an interview on the sidelines of ADEX2024. “Our vision is to continue strengthening the businesses and partnerships, and expanding our programs and projects, through cooperation with partners at the local and international levels,” he says.

Excerpts from the interview:

Barzan is making its first appearance at ADEX. What brings you here?

We have an investment here in Azerbaijan and we have a company called QSTP, which is an investment by us and other shareholders and this shows our commitment to the other bigger markets. We are working to create new technologies to meet the growing needs of the armed forces and address the emerging challenges facing the defence sector.

How far has Barzan Holdings come in empowering the military capabilities of Qatar as well as other militaries in the region?

Barzan Holdings was officially established in 2016, and was entrusted with the task of supporting the long-term development of human capital and the armed forces, through global partnerships that promote research and development, and investment in the development of innovative technologies.

Though we were to serve the Qatar armed forces specifically, we were able to serve other security agencies within the country as well as reaching out to the different international defence markets, where we have invested in companies in Europe and Turkey and Asia.
Since then, the company has proven its importance as a knowledge center and a genuine contributor to the development of the new generation of defence industry technologies, through its global projects and subsidiaries, and benefiting from the distinguished expertise in the fields of air, maritime and land security, cybersecurity, training and consulting, and combat systems to meet the requirements of the security and military sectors.

What are the main areas that Barzan Holdings is focusing on right now?

So, basically we have these themes such as ammunitions and small arms. Under the theme, we have many products and products from different companies. The second theme is basically the technological team where we are developing indigenous solutions to counter drones, for example. And the unmanned capabilities are our main focus as a company. Our focus for the next five years is to ensure capability and sustainability for our platforms.

So how important is it for Barzan to explore international market?

It is very important because we are trying to build relationships and try to build a reputation across the region. So as I said, since the beginning, we were able to penetrate different markets through selling or investing or collaborating with others. International partnerships play an influential and essential role in achieving the company's overall mission and goals, which also help in enhancing the sovereignty of the State of Qatar.

So basically what we do as a company, we don't reinvent the wheel. We go and finish what others have started. This is why we can invest in certain items of technologies to produce certain things that are unavailable in the market and we are kind of driven by the requirements of the end user. However, we are trying to commercialise any service or product that we may come up with to help international clients.

And what are the challenges and how do you face the competition, especially in your region.?

We believe it's healthy competition because without competition we cannot be better. We know it's a kind of mature market. There are couple of players or main players. However, we are focusing on certain demands, such as unmanned systems. Investments are already been made in platforms like unmanned vehicles, counter-UAS solutions, command and control systems and ammunition. By producing such items, I think we will have the competitive edge in the market. And being a neutral country, with a neutral relationship with the whole world in general, gives us an advantage.

So how do you balance this requirement of the local domestic market as well as the international market?

While export is one of our priorities, the main goal of building the defence field is to meet the local requirement. Sustainability of companies requires working on the concept of export, which represents one of our main goals… and we aspire to achieve it, whether at the regional or international level. Our government supports investments in the human cadre by attracting local and foreign minds, and cooperation with international companies. Cooperation with many leading companies in the fields of defence and security enables the State of Qatar to obtain the most innovative technologies and develop them, and create the best practices to ensure self-sufficiency in protecting the country's land and people, and open the door to finding new and abundant sources of income for the country.

What is your unique selling proposition or USP?

I think the uniqueness comes from agility. By having this, you will have access to certain technology.

What is the current market situation and the way forward for you?

As you know, the defence sector in general is moving because of conflicts, specially in Ukraine. This creates a lot of opportunities and along with opportunities come challenges. Currently, I think most of the countries are facing such challenges. I think the market situation is booming. Everyone now has an opportunity to prove their accessibility to different areas.

Qatar / Barzan-holdings / Sultan-ibrahim-al-kuwari /

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