The Institute
Doha Film Institute leadership
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© Brigitte Lacombe
Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
Chairperson of the Doha Film Institute
H.E. plays an important role in developing Qatar’s cultural and intellectual vision through her leadership in various local and global initiatives.
Read MoreUnder her aegis, DFI is Qatar’s leading international film organisation dedicated to cinematic appreciation, education, and building a sustainable film industry in Qatar and throughout the region.
In addition, H.E. is the Chairperson of the global charity, Reach Out to Asia (ROTA) that focuses on community development projects with specific emphasis on promoting global responsibility for basic and quality primary education. H.E. is also the Chairperson of Qatar Museum Authority, and envisaged the internationally acclaimed Museum of Islamic Art, creating a country rich in arts by bridging the divide between past and present and east and west.
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H.E. Sheikh Thani bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
DFI Board of Trustees
With his passion and keen interest in cinema, H.E. Sheikh Thani bin Hamad brings youthful thinking,
Read Moreperspective and energy to the Board of Trustees of Doha Film Institute. He will play a central role in defining youth-oriented strategies to build a talent pool of young Qatari film professionals and create world-class content in Qatar. An advocate of exporting narratives from the East to the West, H.E. Sheikh Thani bin Hamad believes in the power of cinema to convey a strong message, bring about positive social change, and reach a mass audience.
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H.E. Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali
Minister of Culture and Sports - DFI Board of Trustees
Qatar’s Minister of Culture and Sports, H.E. leads the development of the nation’s cultural and
Read Moresports sectors with a focus on nurturing the next generation of talent. Previously, he was the nation’s Minister of Youth and Sports, playing a key role in developing youth talent through diverse initiatives.
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H.E. Nasser bin Ghanem Al-Khelaifi
Chairman of beIN Media Group - DFI Board of Trustees
Nasser Al-Khelaifi is the Group Chairman of beIN MEDIA GROUP,
Read Morethe leading independent sports, entertainment and media group operating in 43 countries around the world.
In forming beIN MEDIA GROUP in 2014, Mr Al-Khelaifi orchestrated the transitioning of Al Jazeera Sport into beIN SPORTS and became the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of beIN MEDIA GROUP.
In his roles, Nasser Al-Khelaifi has led a rapid growth strategy to create one of the world’s most successful sports and entertainment brands. The group provides significant investment in grassroots and professional sports all around the world through its unparalleled sports rights portfolio; while also driving original content creation, production and distribution in the entertainment industry.
Mr Al-Khelaifi has overseen the launch of beIN SPORTS MENA, beIN SPORTS France, beIN SPORTS Americas, beIN SPORTS Asia-Pacific, beIN SPORTS Australia and beIN SPORTS Spain, whilst expanding beIN MENA to include movies, general entertainment, factual and kids content. In 2016, Mr Al-Khelaifi also acquired the Hollywood film studio, Miramax, which holds one of the richest portfolios (and pipelines) of international award winning films. More recently, under Nasser Al-Khelaifi’s leadership, beIN MEDIA GROUP acquired the largest Turkish Pay-TV platform Digiturk.
As a result of beIN MEDIA GROUP’s growth and international success, Nasser Al-Khelaifi is considered a visionary leader in the media industry.
Nasser’s rise to the top of the media industry followed a successful career as a professional tennis player, playing in the Davis Cup for Qatar. Nasser Al-Khelaifi then started his TV career in 2003 as Director of Rights Acquisitions of Al Jazeera Sport, when the channel was first launched. In 2008, he was promoted to General Manager of the Qatari-based sports channel and was made chairman of Qatar Sports Investments.
Alongside Mr Al-Khelaifi’s role as Group Chairman of beIN MEDIA GROUP, he is also the President of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) Football Club, Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), the Qatar Tennis Federation (QTF), the Qatar Squash Foundation (QSF) and vice president of the Asian Tennis Federation for West Asia (ATF).
Mr Al-Khelaifi’s years of sport and television experience have led to numerous accolades. In 2016, the French premier footballing magazine, L'Equipe, named him "the most powerful man in French football" and in 2020, he was named the most influential person in football by France Football. In 2019, he was elected by the European Club Association as a delegate at the UEFA Executive Committee, becoming the first leader from Asia to hold a UEFA position.
Beyond media and football, Mr Al-Khelaifi was a former ATP ranked tennis player who played on the international circuit, playing between 1992 and 2002. -
H.E. Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad bin Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani
CEO of Qatar Media Corporation - DFI Board of Trustees
H.E. is CEO of the Qatar Media Corporation, the apex media entity entrusted with implementing a Read More
clear framework for the industry’s growth, and also a Board Member of Al Jazeera Network. H.E. plays a key role in shaping the media and cultural landscape of Qatar, and has made significant contributions to establishing the nation as one of the leaders in the media industry through visionary and transformational initiatives. Previously, H.E. served as Director Manager in charge of the Media Development Department at Qatar Media Corporation, Media Expert at the Office of His Highness the Heir Apparent, and Member of the Committee and Director of the Board of Cultural Events at the Doha Cultural Media Committee.
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H.E. Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani
Chairman of Media City - Director of the Government Communication Office - DFI Board of Trustees
Director of the Government Communication Office and Acting Director of the Prime Minister’s, Read More
Sheikh Saif held the post of Senior International Relations Officer with the Prime Minister’s Office before assuming his current position as Director of the Government Communication Office and Acting Director of the Prime Minister’s Office. He began his career with the Government of Qatar as a Senior International Relations Officer with the Ministry of Interior.
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Mr. Mansour Ibrahim Al-Mahmoud
CEO QIA (Qatar Investment Authority) - Special Advisor to H.E. The Chairperson - DFI Board of Trustees
A senior executive engaged in cultivating Qatar’s evolving public sphere, Mansour Al-Mahmoud
Read Moreholds the mandate for developing Qatar Museums Authority into a leading global cultural organisation, as its CEO and advisor to Sheikha Al Mayassa. He was previously the Office Director of the Prime Minister of the State of Qatar’s Office at the Qatar Investment Authority, where he helped elevate the nation’s international investment relations. Al-Mahmoud has also served on the boards of Qatari Diar, Qatar National Bank and the Hassad Food Company.
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H.E. Issa bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi
Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Managing Director Barwa Real Estate - DFI Board of Trustees
The former Chairman of Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), H.E. project management and
Read Moreinternational business background served QTA well as it embarked on rolling out the new Tourism Sector Strategy for Qatar. He was the founding CEO of Msheireb Properties, a subsidiary of the Qatar Foundation, promoting sustainability in architecture and heritage preservation in Qatar. He is the founder and chairperson of the Qatar Green Building Council and has held senior management positions at RasGas. H.E. is Chairman of the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club Board of Directors and a board member of Qatar Airways, Qatari Diar and Barwa Real Estate.
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Mrs. Fatma Hassan Al Remaihi
Chief Executive Officer, Doha Film Institute
Fatma Al Remaihi was appointed as CEO of the Doha Film Institute in December, 2014. She is responsible for setting and overseeing the strategic direction of the Institute, maintaining its focus on promoting film culture in Qatar and developing its presence on the regional and international stage.
Al Remaihi was named Acting CEO in August 2014 in addition to her existing post as Director of Programmes at the Institute. In this role Al Remaihi directed the artistic and operational aspects of the Ajyal Film Festival, as well as of the Institute’s year-round screening programmes and its strategic partnerships with key international film institutions.
Read MoreAl Remaihi joined the Institute at its inception in 2009, having fulfilled the role of Cultural Advisor to the first edition of the Doha Tribeca Film Festival. After gaining valuable experience in several key Institute departments, she led a Community Outreach team in the delivery of a variety of initiatives and events to appeal to the wide array of audiences in Qatar, at the same time focusing on developing local talent, attracting regional and international attention to the Institute, and building key relationships with the community and the film industry at large.
Al Remaihi was the driving force behind the establishment of a strategic partnership with the Giffoni Film Festival, whose youth jury model informs the Ajyal Film Festival, and brought together a group of international youth-media specialists during the first edition of Ajyal for a first-of-its-kind summit on media for young people in the Middle East.
Born and raised in Doha, Al Remaihi graduated from Qatar University with a degree in English Literature. She resides in her hometown, where she is a mother of four.