Harrods is probably the most famous department store in the world, and it has stood in Knightsbridge, London, for well over a century. Millions of tourists walk through its doors each year, yet few know who owns it. The answer is a state-backed fund from the Gulf, and the road to that owner includes a Victorian grocer, a controversial Egyptian tycoon, and a very recent profit rebound.
Who Owns Harrods in 2026?
Harrods is owned by the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), the sovereign wealth fund of the State of Qatar. It has been the owner since 2010, when it bought the store for about £1.5 billion, as Marketing Week reported at the time.
The deal was made through Qatar Holding, QIA’s main investment arm, and covered the whole Harrods Group rather than just the Knightsbridge building. According to Gulf News, that was roughly $2.2 billion back then. The store is held through Harrods Group (Holding) Limited, which also runs businesses such as Harrods Estates and Harrods Interior Design, per Wikipedia.
Ownership and Key Stakeholders Table
| Owner / Party | Role | Stake | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) | Ultimate owner | 100% | Bought Harrods in 2010 for about £1.5 billion |
| Qatar Holding | QIA’s main investment subsidiary | Made the acquisition | Bought the Harrods Group from the Al Fayed family trust |
| State of Qatar | Owner of QIA | Indirect | QIA was founded in 2005; estimated assets of about $600 billion in 2026 |
| Harrods Group (Holding) Limited | UK holding company | Parent of the store | Also includes Harrods Estates and Harrods Interior Design |
| Michael Ward | Managing director | No ownership stake | Has led Harrods since 2005 |
| Andreas Efstathiou | Chief operating officer | No ownership stake | Takes the new unified COO role from September 2026 |
| Mohamed Al Fayed | Former owner | Sold in 2010 | Owned Harrods from 1985 and died in 2023 at age 94 |
What Is the Qatar Investment Authority?
The Qatar Investment Authority is a sovereign wealth fund set up by the State of Qatar in 2005 to diversify the country’s income beyond gas and oil. Wikipedia puts its assets at about $600 billion in 2026, which makes it one of the largest funds in the world.
Harrods is only one piece of a very large portfolio. The Qatari state has also held stakes in Heathrow Airport, Canary Wharf, Sainsbury’s, and Barclays, and owns the Shard, according to The Week’s overview. Qatar Sports Investments, the QIA-linked owner of Paris Saint-Germain, sits in the same wider network, and QIA is also a major shareholder in Volkswagen.
From Charles Harrod to the Fayed Family
The story begins with Charles Henry Harrod, who started trading in the 1820s. The Knightsbridge store itself dates to 1849, and the first holding company, Harrod’s Stores Limited, was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1889, as the Harrods Group page explains.
For most of the 20th century, Harrods belonged to the larger House of Fraser group. In 1985, the family of Mohamed Al Fayed bought House of Fraser, which owned Harrods, for about £615 million, and Al Fayed became the face of the store. The Egyptian businessman also owned Fulham Football Club from 1997 until 2013.
How Qatar Bought Harrods in 2010
By 2010, Al Fayed was in his late seventies and ready to step back. The Al Fayed family trust sold the Harrods Group to Qatar Holding, and Al Fayed stayed on briefly as honorary chairman, as Gulf News noted.
Since then, Harrods has been run as a private company under QIA ownership. It still sells goods across roughly 330 departments, and its motto, Omnia Omnibus Ubique, means “all things for all people, everywhere.” Its famous Food Halls alone stock thousands of food and beverage brands from around the world, according to the store’s own history on Wikipedia.
The Al Fayed Abuse Allegations and the Redress Scheme
The biggest cloud over Harrods in recent years is the scandal around its former owner. Multiple women have accused Al Fayed of rape and sexual assault, and he died in 2023 before facing charges. Harrods, under Qatari ownership, set up a compensation program called the Harrods Redress Scheme.
According to AGBI, the company set aside about £62 million, and the application deadline was March 31, 2026. The Metropolitan Police said that 154 alleged victims had come forward by early March 2026. Harrods has worked hard to separate itself from its former owner.
Harrods’ Latest Results
Harrods is back in profit. For the 52 weeks ended January 31, 2026, it reported a pre-tax profit of £84.9 million, compared with a loss of about £34 million the year before, per FashionNetwork. The earlier loss came from a charge of up to £62.5 million linked to the abuse compensation.
Turnover reached roughly £1.1 billion, up about 1.2%, as Modaes reported. Operating profit slipped to £172.3 million from £177.7 million, which TheIndustry.fashion linked to higher salaries and distribution costs. For the year to February 2024, the owner reportedly took a £180 million dividend, according to Yahoo Finance.
Who Runs Harrods Day to Day?
Michael Ward has been managing director since 2005 and oversaw the move to Qatari ownership. The group board is reportedly chaired by QIA’s chief executive, according to Retail Sector.
In June 2026, Harrods named Andreas Efstathiou, its chief information officer, as chief operating officer from September, as FashionNetwork reported. The move puts supply chain, facilities, engineering, and security under one leader, and FashionUnited notes that Mark Blundell is chief retail officer and Geoff Weaver is chief financial officer.
Harrods’ ownership is also very different from other big British retailers. Morrisons, for example, sits under the US private equity firm CD&R, while Harrods answers to a national investment fund.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Who owns Harrods in 2026?
The Qatar Investment Authority, Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, owns Harrods.
Q2. When did Qatar buy Harrods?
Qatar Holding bought it in 2010 for about £1.5 billion.
Q3. Who owned Harrods before Qatar?
Mohamed Al Fayed owned it from 1985 until the 2010 sale.
Q4. Is Harrods publicly traded?
No, Harrods is a private company with no stock market listing.
Q5. Who is the managing director of Harrods?
Michael Ward has been managing director since 2005.
Q6. How much profit did Harrods make recently?
It reported a £84.9 million pre-tax profit for the year ended January 31, 2026.
Q7. What is the Harrods Redress Scheme?
It is a compensation program for alleged victims of Mohamed Al Fayed, with about £62 million set aside.
Q8. Who is Harrods’ new chief operating officer?
Andreas Efstathiou takes the unified COO role from September 2026.
Official website: harrods.com
Harrods is 100% owned by the Qatar Investment Authority, which bought it from Mohamed Al Fayed in 2010 for about £1.5 billion. It is not publicly traded, and no individual or family controls it.
The store has returned to profit after a painful period tied to its former owner’s legacy. With a new chief operating officer starting in September 2026 and Michael Ward still at the helm, Harrods looks set to stay under Qatari ownership for the foreseeable future.