Hamad Abdul Reda

Hamad Abdullah Abdul Reda is Controller of Qatar Television’s First and Second Channels, President of the Qatar Theatre Company and General Manager of Satellite Artistic Production Company. A pioneer of Qatari theatre, he has contributed to dozens of theatrical and television productions.

He devoted many years of his life to Qatari theatre and became one of the prominent figures who contributed to its development. Across his work as an artist, public employee and businessman, he combined social awareness with professional responsibility. He also remained a devoted father to his sons, Saud and Abdullah, who received the largest share of his time and care.

Born in 1967, he grew up in Freej Al Asmakh as one of eight children—three boys and five girls—all of whom completed their education. Their father, a merchant in Souq Waqif, was determined that his children should earn university degrees. He divided childhood between school and the playground, making treasured memories in Freej Al Salam. When the family moved to Al Montazah in 1979, he formed new friendships and pursued his interests with the same enthusiasm.

He attended Salah al-Din al-Ayoubi Primary School and Doha Preparatory School. School theatre, particularly puppetry, provided his real entry into art. Yet despite a deep love of acting and theatre, his academic route lay elsewhere: he studied management and economics and completed his degree in 1994.

A visiting committee selected him for the Popular Acting Troupe while he was at preparatory school. He appeared in many of its productions and, only five or six years after joining, became its leader at no more than nineteen years of age.

From the beginning, he worked beside his brother, the artist Nasser Abdul Reda, who was both model and companion and shared his ambitions and successes. The two were selected together for their first preparatory-school play with the late artist Musaad Abdul Rahman. He learned greatly from a brother whose talents complemented his own. Nasser remained principally in performance, while he specialised in production, and together they presented numerous plays.

Throughout childhood and adolescence, he divided his time among school, theatre and helping his father in the shop. That experience awakened a commercial interest, led him to study economics and accounting, and later directed him towards production. The practical skills learned from his father became highly valuable in professional life and ultimately helped him launch his own company.

Since its establishment, Satellite Artistic Production Company has delivered more than forty works spanning theatre, television and advertising. It developed into an advanced producer of drama series, music videos and other films, collaborating with Qatar Airways, Ooredoo and television broadcasters. Its productions established a lasting presence in Qatar.

The company won numerous awards across the Arab world and the Gulf Cooperation Council states through international participation and distinguished work presented at domestic festivals, on television and in theatres. He regards the establishment of an advanced production company—and the acquisition of sophisticated cameras, editing systems and other artistic equipment he had dreamed of since childhood—as his greatest achievement.

The state supported the project throughout its development, despite financial pressures created by high production costs. Confidence from officials in the arts encouraged him towards success, while the Ministry of Culture, Qatar Media Corporation and the Cultural Village Foundation provided important support for productions.

He faced many difficulties on more than one level of artistic and theatrical work. At the beginning of his artistic career, theatre faced a shortage of female performers and limited access to suitable stages; the Qatar National Theatre was often fully booked. Production budgets were modest, while bringing actresses from abroad increased costs. Despite those constraints, he and his fellow artists created memorable performances that became part of the history of Qatari theatre.

Establishing his production company, Satellite Artistic Production Company, brought substantial challenges. Limited capital had to meet the high costs of production and rapidly changing equipment, which required replacement within about five years. Support from friends, family and arts officials who trusted his talent and competence helped him overcome those pressures and build one of the prominent companies in Qatar’s artistic sector.