Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud

Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud
Born	Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud (1955-03-07) March 7, 1955 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, investor
Years active	1979–present
Known for	Founder and CEO of Kingdom Holding Company; major investor in Four Seasons Hotels, Twitter, News Corporation

Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud (; born 7 March 1955) is a Saudi Arabian billionaire entrepreneur, investor, and a member of the House of Saud. In 2008, he was recognized by Time magazine as one of the Time 100 most influential individuals.

The Forbes rankings for 2004 placed him as the fourth wealthiest individual worldwide with an estimated net worth of $21.5 billion; over $1.3 billion derived from hotel-related investments.

In January 2005 Al Waleed purchased London's Savoy Hotel for an estimated £250 million with Fairmont Hotels appointed for management; his sister holds a significant equity interest there. In January 2006 Kingdom Holding collaborated with Colony NorthStar to acquire Fairmont Hotels & Resorts for about $3.9 billion. By 2009 he owned thirty-five percent of Saudi media conglomerate SRMG.

In August 2011 Kingdom Holding contracted Saudi Binladin Group to construct the Kingdom Tower (later known as Jeddah Tower), projected to become the tallest building globally exceeding , with an estimated cost of SR4.6 billion ($1.2 billion). Initial concepts envisaged an even taller mile-high tower costing around $20 billion.

In December that year Al Waleed invested approximately $300 million acquiring over three-percent ownership stake in Twitter through secondary market transactions from insiders when Twitter’s valuation stood near $8 billion.

Starting from 2015 he pledged to donate his entire wealth eventually after having contributed more than $3.5 billion over three decades via Alwaleed Philanthropies.

Between 2015 and 2021 legal disputes arose involving LBCI CEO Pierre El Daher concerning contractual disagreements with Lebanon’s broadcaster leading to a mandated payment amounting to $22 million.

In May 2022 he committed to purchasing roughly thirty-five million Twitter shares coinciding with Elon Musk’s acquisition offer alongside private equity partners.

Detention and Subsequent Release

On 4 November 2017, Al Waleed was taken into custody in Saudi Arabia amid a sweeping "anti-corruption campaign" initiated by a newly formed royal committee. This crackdown resulted in the detention of 320 individuals, including princes, government officials, and business figures, all held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh. The initiative was directed by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman as part of efforts to solidify his succession as the kingdom's future ruler. Notably, Mohammad bin Salman and Al Waleed are first cousins, both descending from Ibn Saud, the founder of Saudi Arabia.

Prior to their release, Al Waleed and most other detainees reached confidential financial agreements with the Saudi government. The authorities did not publicly disclose any formal charges or evidence, and the negotiation details remained confidential. Reports suggested that Saudi officials demanded approximately $6 billion from Al Waleed as a condition for his freedom.

After nearly three months in detention, he was released in late January 2018. According to The Wall Street Journal, the sum paid for his release was around $6 billion, significantly higher than the $1 billion reportedly paid by his cousin Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah.

Just days before his arrest, Al Waleed had extended an invitation to Jamal Khashoggi, a US-based Saudi journalist, encouraging him to return to Saudi Arabia to support Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's reform agenda.

Forbes Controversy

In 2013, Kerry Dolan, editor of Forbes annual billionaires ranking, authored an article titled "Prince Alwaleed and the Curious Case of Kingdom Holding Stock," which highlighted a pattern where Kingdom Holdings' share price appeared to fluctuate in correlation with the approach of the list's publication. The piece detailed Al Waleed's attempts to influence his ranking by reaching out to influential individuals and dispatching Kingdom Holding’s CFO to New York to ensure Forbes used his preferred net worth figures. In 2006, Forbes had valued his wealth $7 billion less than his claims, which led to an emotional phone call from Al Waleed.

The article assessed Forbes' 2013 valuation of his fortune at $20 billion and analyzed Kingdom Holdings’ stock performance. It also included communications with CFO Shadi Sanbar, who insisted on increasing Al Waleed’s valuation or removing him from the list altogether. Prior to the article’s release, Al Waleed declared he would "terminate ties" with Forbes, criticizing what he perceived as inaccurate data and bias against investors from the Middle East.

In a March 2013 interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Al Waleed threatened legal proceedings against Forbes, denying allegations of manipulating markets and labeling the list as "flawed and inaccurate," accusing it of prejudice toward Middle Eastern investors.

On 6 June 2013, he initiated a defamation lawsuit in London against Forbes, its editor Randall Lane, and two journalists involved. Forbes expressed surprise at this libel claim and anticipated its dismissal by UK courts as an example of "libel tourism." By 20 June, no legal documents had been served.

Kingdom Holding Company criticized Forbes for publishing what it termed a "deliberately insulting and inaccurate portrayal" of Saudi Arabia’s business sector and disparaging the Saudi stock exchange (Tadawul), recognized as one of the most regulated markets worldwide. Al Waleed condemned Forbes' valuation methods as "irrational and deeply flawed," describing them as subjective and discriminatory.

On 16 June 2015, both parties issued a joint statement confirming a settlement had been reached on mutually acceptable terms. A significant factor in reassessing Kingdom Holding Company's stock price was attributed to the opening of the Saudi stock market to foreign investors.

Political Perspectives

Al Waleed publicly stated via Twitter that he holds an honorary Palestinian passport and declared he would neither visit Jerusalem nor pray there until it is liberated from what he refers to as Zionist occupation.

In 2015, he attracted criticism for pledging 100 Bentley cars to Saudi fighter pilots participating in the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen—a tweet he subsequently deleted.

He advocates for pragmatic governance approaches, commends Giorgia Meloni’s centrist policies, and shares alignment with Donald Trump on certain social issues.

Philanthropic Engagements

In July 1997, Al Waleed invested $10 million with the Palestinian Investment and Development Company (PADICO) and co-established the Jerusalem Development and Investment Company (JEDICO).

He contributed $500,000 in 2002 toward establishing the George Herbert Walker Bush scholarship at Phillips Academy. Additionally, he donated £18.5 million to Palestinian families affected by Israeli operations in Jenin and provided $17 million for victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

On 1 July 2015, Al Waleed announced an ambitious plan to allocate $32 billion towards philanthropic initiatives aimed at empowering women and youth, supporting disaster relief efforts, eradicating diseases, and enhancing cross-cultural understanding.

Controversial Donation Following September 11 Attacks

Following the 11 September attacks, Al Waleed offered $10 million to New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, despite opposition within Saudi leadership. He stated: "At times like this, we must address some of the issues that led to such a criminal attack. I believe the government of the United States should reconsider its Middle East policies and adopt a more balanced approach toward the Palestinian cause." Giuliani returned the donation citing disagreement with these views. Al Waleed attributed Giuliani’s refusal to pressure from Jewish groups concerned about his statements.

Giuliani responded by firmly rejecting any moral equivalence between terrorism acts and political grievances, emphasizing that such remarks exacerbate misunderstanding and hinder resolution efforts.

Support for Western Academic Institutions

In 2005, Al Waleed donated $20 million to Georgetown University for establishing the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU), marking it as one of Georgetown’s largest gifts. In 2008, he made a £16 million contribution to Edinburgh University for creating a centre dedicated to studying contemporary Islam. He also endowed the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Center for American Studies and Research (CASAR).

Institutions bearing his name include Weill Cornell Medical College’s Institute for Computational Biomedicine; the Centre of Islamic Studies at University of Cambridge; and Harvard University’s Islamic Studies Program. At his alma mater Syracuse University, he serves as an honorary advisory board member within the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

Support for First Saudi Female Pilot

Al Waleed financed Hanadi Zakaria al-Hindi’s training—the first female commercial airline pilot from Saudi Arabia—expressing strong support for women working across all sectors within the kingdom. Hanadi received her certification to fly domestically in Saudi Arabia in 2014.

Assets

Al Waleed owns one of the world’s largest private yachts: the 85.9-metre (282 ft) Kingdom 5KR, ranked as the 65th largest globally. Originally constructed in 1979 for arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, this yacht appeared as the "Flying Saucer" in Never Say Never Again. It was later owned by Donald Trump under the name Trump Princess before being acquired by Al Waleed following Trump’s financial difficulties in the late 1980s.

He commissioned a new vessel named New Kingdom 5KR, approximately 173 metres (568 ft) long with an estimated cost exceeding $500 million; design plans were completed by Lindsey Design in late 2010.

His private aircraft collection includes a Boeing 747, an Airbus A321, and a Hawker Siddeley 125. Notably, he was initially the first individual customer for an Airbus A380, though he sold it prior to delivery in 2013.

Among his principal investments are a controlling stake (95%) in Kingdom Holding Company; ownership of 91% of Rotana Video and Audio Visual Company; majority control (90%) over Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation; approximately 7% shareholding in News Corporation; close to 6% equity in Citigroup; along with significant holdings in Lebanese newspapers Al Nahar (17%) and Ad-Diyar (25%). In 2009, he topped Saudi Arabia’s inaugural Rich List with assets valued at $16.3 billion.

Palatial Residences

Al Waleed possesses three palatial estates: two fully completed residences plus one currently under construction. His main home is the 250,000-square-foot (23,000 m²) Kingdom Palace located centrally in Riyadh. Described by Time magazine as a $130 million sand-colored palace featuring 317 rooms adorned with 1,500 tons of Italian marble, silk oriental carpets, gold-plated fixtures, and equipped with around 250 televisions. The palace contains four specialized kitchens catering Arabic, Continental, Asian cuisines plus desserts—staffed sufficiently to serve up to 2,000 guests within one hour's notice. Additional amenities include a lagoon-shaped swimming pool and a basement cinema accommodating 45 seats.

The 500,000-square-foot (46,000 m²) Kingdom Resort in Riyadh boasts three lakes surrounded by landscaped gardens. The 4,000,000-square-foot (370,000 m²) Kingdom Oasis estate is under construction; plans include a 70,000-square-metre (17-acre) lake along with a private zoological park.

Accolades

Al Waleed has been honored with several prestigious awards: receiving Saudi Arabia's first class Order of King Abdulaziz in 2002; Lebanon's National Order of the Cedar; Maldives’ Order of Izzuddin awarded by President Mohamed Nasheed in 2009; Palestine’s highest honor—the Star of Palestine—in that same year; Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Innovation in 2010; Bahrain Medal of First Order—the kingdom's highest civilian medal—in May 2012; Nepal's Mahaujjval Rastradip Manpadvi award (the highest foreign honor) also received in 2012; Guinea-Bissau's Colina De Boe Medal; Grand Commander of Sierra Leone's Order of the Republic (GCRSL) bestowed in June 2013; and on December 13th, 2014 was named Honorary Companion of Malta's National Order of Merit.

Honors

Saudi Arabian National Decorations

Ribbon bar	Honour
	Member First Class of the Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud

International Recognitions

Ribbon bar	Country	Honour
	Member First Class of the Khalifiyyeh Order
	Grand Officer of the National Order of Benin
	Member First Class of the Family Order of Laila Utama
	Member First Class of the Order of Balkan Mountains
	Commander of the National Order
	Grand Cross of the National Order
	Grand Officer of its National Order
	Commander of Star of Anjouan
	Grand Cross of its National Order
	Grand Cordon of National Star
	Commander rank within Legion of Honour
	Grand Cross National Order
	Grand Commander Order
	Companion Order
	Commander National Order
	Grand Cross Independence Order

Personal Background

Al Waleed has entered into marriage four times with subsequent divorces each time. His first marriage occurred in 1976 when he was nineteen years old; he wed his cousin Princess Dalal bint Saud Al Saud, daughter of King Saud. They have two children: Prince Khaled (born 1978) and Princess Reem (born 1982). Their marriage ended in divorce during December 1994.

In 1996 he married Iman Sudairi; this union lasted roughly one year before dissolution. Subsequently, he married Kholood Al Anazi in 1999 but divorced her five years later in 2004.

His fourth spouse was Ameera al-Taweel—after approximately six years together they separated in 2014. He publicly confirmed their divorce while expressing continued respect toward her.

A devoted supporter of Al Hilal SFC, Al Waleed holds Platinum Supporter status within this football club. In September 2024 he donated SAR300 million (Saudi riyals) toward club support initiatives.

See Also

• List_of_Lebanese_people_in_Saudi_Arabia

Further Reading

• John Rossant, The Prince: A Biography of Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal (HarperCollins, 2001) ISBN 0-68-816457-9
• Riz Khan, Alwaleed: Businessman, Billionaire, Prince (HarperCollins, 2005)

External links

• Official website of Al Waleed bin Talal
• Kingdom Holding Company archived site