Walid Juffali

Walid Ahmed Juffali
Born	Template:Birth date Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Died	July 20, 2016(2016-07-20) (aged 61) Zürich, Switzerland
Occupation(s)	Businessman, investor
Known for	Chairman of E. A. Juffali and Brothers; chairman of Saudi American Bank; founder of Brain Forum; owner of NeuroPro; chairman of W Investments

Walid Ahmed Juffali (30 April 1955 – 20 July 2016) (), also known as Al-Walid bin Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al Juffali (), served as chairman of E. A. Juffali and Brothers, the largest privately held company in Saudi Arabia, following in the footsteps of his father, Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Juffali. Additionally, he was at the helm of "W Investments," a private investment firm primarily operating out of Zürich.

Juffali held leadership roles as chairman of the Saudi American Bank and The Saudi Cement Company, and contributed to boards such as Saudi Hollandi Bank, thereby playing a significant role in shaping vital sectors of the Saudi economy.

His 2014 divorce from Christina Estrada gained widespread attention due to a $95 million settlement, which included a considerable payout involving an extensive collection of jewels—ranked among the most substantial in English legal history.

Early life and education

Born in Jeddah on 30 April 1955, Juffali was the son of Ahmed Abdullah Juffali (1924–1994), founder of E. A. Juffali and Brothers, one of Saudi Arabia’s foremost enterprises. The Al-Juffali family traces its origins to Unayzah, Al-Qassim, descending from the Bani Khalid tribe and carrying notable heritage linked to Khālid ibn al-Walīd.

His mother, Suad bint Ibrahim Al Husseini, was the granddaughter of Kamil of Jerusalem and niece to Hajj Amin of Jerusalem. He had two full siblings: Khalid bin Ahmed Al Juffali and Tarek bin Ahmed Al Juffali.

Following his education in Jeddah and Switzerland, he earned a bachelor's degree in International Business and Political Sciences from the University of San Diego in 1977. Early in his career, he undertook public roles in Jeddah, managing development projects at Siemens Arabia and Nabors. He later completed a doctorate in neurosciences at Imperial College in 2012, presenting a thesis entitled "A Novel Algorithm for Detection and Prediction of Neural Anomalies."

Juffali demonstrated a profound passion for brain research, founding the Brain Forum to foster international cooperation in neuroscience. This initiative began hosting major conferences from 2013 onward, expanding to include over 1,400 attendees from 31 countries by 2016. He was proficient in Arabic, English, French, and German.

Career

Throughout his career, Juffali chaired the Saudi American Bank and owned NeuroPro, a specialized neuroscience company. In 2005, he assumed chairmanships at Dow Chemical Arabia and Siemens Arabia while joining Nabors’ board within the oil and gas sector.

In January 2009, via WJCO (Al-Walid Al Juffali Company), he invested $100 million to acquire a 5% shareholding in Hitachi. Furthermore, W Investments secured an 11% stake in Manchester United following its purchase in May 2012.

By at least 2005, he held the position of chairman at E. A. Juffali and Brothers as well as at Saudi American Bank and the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He also led W Investments, a private wealth management firm whose CEO, Jamil El Imad, concurrently manages NeuroPro.

In December 2005, Middle East Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) announced that Juffali would host The Investor, an entrepreneurial reality television program highlighting family business dynamics throughout the Arab world.

Legal immunity

In November 2015, Juffali obtained legal protection in the United Kingdom by being designated as St Lucia’s Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) based in London. Although St Lucia officially acknowledged his role beginning April 2014, it refused to revoke his immunity amid civil litigation with his former spouse.

By December 2015, the UK Foreign Office intervened, urging St Lucia to waive Juffali’s diplomatic immunity due to suspicions that it was being used to shield assets during divorce disputes. In January 2016, the UK High Court instructed Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond to confirm Juffali’s diplomatic credentials; concurrently, restrictions on reporting his critical illness were lifted given its relevance to ongoing financial claims.

In February 2016, the High Court rejected Juffali’s claim of diplomatic immunity, labeling it 'spurious.' He appealed this decision with support from the Foreign Secretary; subsequently, the Court of Appeal reinstated his immunity but permitted divorce proceedings to move forward.

The divorce settlement with his second wife, Christina Estrada, finalized in July 2016, amounted to £75 million—the highest ever recorded under English law.

Politics

Juffali was one of three Saudi contributors who donated no less than $3 million to the Clinton Presidential Center.

Personal life

Juffali’s first marriage was to Basma Al-Sulaiman in Jeddah in 1980; they had three children—Dina, Hala, and Mohammed, who passed away in 2012. Their divorce in 2000 resulted in a £40 million settlement for Basma.

In 2001, he wed Christina Estrada, a former American model featured in the Pirelli Calendar; their marriage ended in divorce in 2014. Estrada initiated divorce proceedings in 2012 following Juffali’s subsequent marriage to Loujain Adada (Saudi law allows up to four simultaneous wives). Estrada sought ownership of at least three UK properties from Juffali, including a seven-bedroom residence in Knightsbridge collectively valued near £60 million. The couple had a daughter named Sirina.

Around 2001, Juffali acquired Bishopsgate House in Surrey from his parents. The estate employed numerous staff and contained an art collection appraised at £4 million, which was auctioned by Bonham's in 2018.

In November 2012, Juffali married Loujain Adada, a Lebanese model and television presenter, in Venice. Known as "LJ," Adada featured on the Netflix reality series Dubai Bling, which highlights aspects of Juffali’s estate and heritage.

Death

Juffali passed away on 20 July 2016 in Zürich, Switzerland after a lengthy struggle with cancer. Responsibility for his estate and guardianship of his five daughters was entrusted to his brother, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Juffali.