Qatar Museums today announced the appointment of Kirstin Mearns to serve as Chief Executive Officer of IN-Q Enterprises WLL (IN-Q), the commercial arm and wholly owned subsidiary of Qatar Museums within the retail, food and beverage, and hospitality sectors. IN-Q creates commercial opportunities for artists, designers, and entrepreneurs while also presenting curated experiences that demonstrate the hospitality for which Qatar is well known.
Ali Bouzarif, Vice Chairman of IN-Q, said, “Kirstin Mearns is a champion of artists with a keen mind for enterprise. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience from both the non-profit and business sectors, making her the ideal leader to create entrepreneurial opportunities for Qatar’s emerging creatives both on site and through digital engagement.”
Mearns will oversee IN-Q’s expanding portfolio of restaurants, stores, retail and dining experiences, and online platforms, which include IDAM by Alain Ducasse at the Museum of Islamic Art, Jiwan Restaurant and Café 875 at the National Museum of Qatar, Café #999 at the Fire Station, Naua at 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, Profiles Café at M7, Ralph’s Coffee at Place Vendome, IN-Q Online, QM museum gift shops, Cass Art Qatar Shop, exhibition pop-ups at M7, QM Galleries, and the Fire Station, and more.
Kirstin Mearns said, “‘It is with great pride in what M+ is, and what I know it will become, that I now embrace my new position of CEO of IN-Q enterprises. The Qatar Cultural Vision for 2030 is one built on Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani’s foresight and fortitude, and it is an honour to be part of that vision leading the IN-Q team. Cultural commerce has the potential to bridge the gap as a familiar context in a new and evolving Qatari cultural experience. I look forward to working with the Qatar Museums and IN-Q teams to become a global leader in cultural commerce.”
Mearns most recently served as Head of Commerce and Visitor Services at M+ in Hong Kong where she oversaw a large department that was responsible for visitor service, trademark and licensing, merchandising, membership and sponsorship strategies, placemaking, retail and commercial development, and generating new revenue streams.
About IN-Q ENTERPRISES
IN-Q Enterprises WLL (IN-Q) is the commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of Qatar Museums (QM), trading primarily in the retail and food & beverage/hospitality sectors.
Since our establishment in 2015, IN-Q has created a reputation for quality, exclusivity, authenticity, and creativity in everything that we do – themes inspired by the mission of QM.
IN-Q is a key stakeholder behind QM's delivery of its commitment to instigate Qatar’s future generation of arts, heritage, and museum professionals by nurturing creative talent and creating commercial opportunities for young artists, designers and entrepreneurs.
We engage QM's audiences through merchandise, publications and our e-shop, and provide authentic food & beverage and retail experiences through diverse operations, which include:
- F&B
- IDAM by Alain Ducasse at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA)
- MIA Café, MIA Park café, kiosks and food trucks
- Jiwan Restaurant at the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ)
- Café 875 and other kiosks at NMoQ
- Desert Rose Café at NMoQ
- Café #999 at the Fire Station
- Naua and 3-2-1 Café at 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum (QOSM)
- Profiles Café at M7
- Ralph’s Coffee at Place Vendome
- RETAIL
- MIA Gift Shop
- NMoQ Gift shop
- 3-2-1 QOSM Gift Shop
- Mathaf Gift Shop
- Cass Art Qatar Shop
- Exhibitions’ pop up stores at M7, Fire Station and QM Galleries
- QM and 3-2-1 QOSM kiosks at Doha Festival City (DFC) and MIA park
- IN-Q Online
- Cass Art Qatar Online (Coming Soon)
We also deliver innovative catering experiences through IN-Q Catering and facilitate venue hire for events hosted at the museums and heritage sites in the following locations:
- MIA
- NMoQ
- 3-2-1 QOSM
- M7
- Fire Station
- Mathaf
- Al Zubarah Fort
- Barzan Towers
- QM Gallery - Katara
IN-Q provides manpower services under its Manpower Contracting function to its primary client and parent organisation, QM.
About Qatar Museums
Qatar Museums (QM), the nation's preeminent institution for art and culture, provides authentic and inspiring cultural experiences through a growing network of museums, heritage sites, festivals, public art installations, and programmes. QM preserves, restores, and expands the nation's cultural offerings and historical sites, sharing art and culture from Qatar, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) region with the world and enriching the lives of citizens, residents, and visitors.
Under the patronage of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and led by its Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, QM has made Qatar a vibrant centre for the arts, culture, and education in the Middle East and beyond. QM is integral to the goal of developing an innovative, diverse, and progressive nation, bringing people together to ignite new thinking, spark critical cultural conversations, educate and encourage environmental stewardship and sustainable practices, and amplify the voices of Qatar's people. Since its founding in 2005, QM has overseen the Museum of Islamic Art and MIA Park, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of Qatar, QM Gallery Al Riwaq, QM
Gallery Katara and the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum. Future museums include Dadu, Children's
Museum of Qatar, Qatar Auto Museum, Art Mill Museum and the Lusail Museum.
Through its newly created Creative Hub, QM also initiates and supports projects—such as the Fire Station Artist in Residence, the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival, the creative hub for innovation, fashion and design M7, and Liwan Design Studios and Labs —that nurture artistic talent and create opportunities to build a strong and sustainable cultural infrastructure.
Animating everything that Qatar Museums does is an authentic connection to Qatar and its heritage, a steadfast commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, and a belief in creating value through invention.
Press contact:
Maria Luisa L. Bernabe
Marketing & Communication
IN-Q Enterprises WLL