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Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud
Al Waleed bin Talal 2015.jpg
Al Waleed in 2015
Years active 1979–present
Alma mater Menlo College
Syracuse University
Born (1955-03-07) 7 March 1955 (age 70)
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Spouse
Dalal bint Saud Al Saud
(m. 1976; div. 1994)
Iman Al Sudairi
(m. 1996; div. 1997)
Kholood Al Anazi
(m. 1999; div. 2004)
(m. 2008; div. 2013)
Issue Prince Khaled
Princess Reem
House Al Saud
Father Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Mother Mona El Solh
Occupation Chairman and CEO of Kingdom Holding Company

Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud (Arabic: الوليد بن طلال آل سعود; born 7 March 1955) is a very successful Saudi Arabian businessman and investor. He is also a philanthropist, which means he donates a lot of money to good causes. He is a member of the House of Saud, the royal family of Saudi Arabia.

In 2008, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Al Waleed is the grandson of Abdulaziz, who was the first king of Saudi Arabia. He is also the grandson of Riad Al Solh, who was the first prime minister of Lebanon.

Al Waleed started the Kingdom Holding Company, where he is the boss and owns most of the company. This company invests in many different areas. These include hotels, media, entertainment, and technology. In 2013, his company was worth over $18 billion. He owns famous hotels like the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris. He also owns part of the Plaza Hotel in New York. Some people have called him the "Arabian Warren Buffett" because he is so good at investing.

In November 2017, Al Waleed and other important Saudis were arrested in Saudi Arabia. This was part of an effort by the Saudi government to fight corruption. Al Waleed was released in January 2018 after almost three months.

Early Life and Education

Al Waleed bin Talal was born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 7, 1955. His father was Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz, and his mother was Mona El Solh. His father was Saudi Arabia's finance minister in the early 1960s.

Al Waleed's parents separated when he was seven years old. He then lived with his mother in Lebanon. As a boy, he sometimes ran away from home for a day or two. He even slept in unlocked cars. Later, he went to the King Abdulaziz Military Academy in Riyadh.

In 1974, he went back to Lebanon for school. He studied business administration at Menlo College in California. He finished his degree in just two and a half years in 1979. Later, in 1985, he earned a master's degree from Syracuse University. He finished this degree in only eleven months.

Business Career

Al Waleed started his business career in 1979. He returned to Saudi Arabia during a time when oil money was making the country rich. He began with a small office in Riyadh and $30,000 from his father. He formed a company called Kingdom Establishment in 1980.

When his first money ran out, he got a large loan from a bank. Instead of just taking a fee for helping with deals, he wanted a share in the projects. His first big success was in 1982. He partnered with a South Korean construction company. He used the money he earned to invest in real estate and the stock market.

Al Waleed became known for buying companies that were not doing well. He would then help them become successful. For example, he bought a bank called United Saudi Commercial Bank. He merged it with other banks, and it became a leading bank in the Middle East.

By 1989, he was worth $1.4 billion. He owned parts of many companies, including hotels and media groups. When he invested internationally, he looked for "established brands going through hard times." He would study them carefully and wait for the right moment to buy.

He invested a lot of money in Citigroup, a major bank. Even though it was struggling, he believed it had great potential. His investment helped save the bank. He became the largest individual shareholder in the biggest U.S. financial institution at that time.

In 1995, his company, Kingdom Establishment, became the Kingdom Holding Company. Al Waleed announced plans to build the Kingdom Centre, a hospital, a school, and a city. He also invested in media companies like Mediaset and the Arab Radio and Television Network.

He bought a share in Apple Inc. in 1997, becoming its largest shareholder. He also invested in other technology and media companies. These included Motorola, Netscape, and News Corporation. His investments showed he believed in the future of technology and media.

Al Waleed also invested heavily in hotels. He bought stakes in Fairmont and Four Seasons. He also bought the famous George V hotel in Paris and spent a lot of money making it new again. He owns the Savoy Hotel in London.

In 2011, Al Waleed announced plans to build the Kingdom Tower. This tower is planned to be the world's tallest building. In December 2011, he invested $300 million in Twitter. This gave his company a share of more than 3% in the social media company.

Philanthropy

Al Waleed is known for his generous donations to charity. In July 1997, he invested in a company that helps develop Palestine. He also helped start the Jerusalem Development and Investment Company.

In 2002, he gave $500,000 to help fund a scholarship at Phillips Academy in Massachusetts. He also donated a large sum of money to Palestinian families. In 2004, he gave $17 million to help victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

On July 1, 2015, Al Waleed announced that he plans to donate his entire fortune to charity. This is about $32 billion. He said the money would be used for humanitarian projects. These projects include helping women and young people. They also include disaster relief and fighting diseases. He wants to build understanding between different cultures.

Donation after 11 September Attacks

After the 11 September attacks in the United States, Al Waleed offered $10 million to New York City. However, the Mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani, returned the donation. This happened because Al Waleed made a statement. He suggested that the U.S. government should change its policies in the Middle East. Mayor Giuliani disagreed, saying there was no excuse for the attacks.

Western Universities

Al Waleed has given money to many universities around the world. In 2005, he gave Georgetown University $20 million. This money helped create a center for understanding between Muslims and Christians. He also gave money to Edinburgh University to study Islam.

Other universities that have received his support include University of Cambridge and Harvard University. He also supports his old university, Syracuse University.

First Saudi Female Pilot

Al Waleed supports women's rights in Saudi Arabia. He helped train Hanadi Zakaria al-Hindi. She became the first Saudi woman to be a commercial airline pilot. He said he fully supports Saudi women working in all kinds of jobs. Al-Hindi was certified to fly in Saudi Arabia in 2014.

Assets

Kingdom 5KR
Kingdom 5KR

Al Waleed owns many impressive things. He has one of the largest private yachts in the world. It is called the Kingdom 5KR. This yacht was once owned by Donald Trump. Al Waleed bought it after Trump faced financial problems.

He has also ordered an even bigger yacht. It will be about 173 meters long and cost over $500 million. He owns several private airplanes. These include a Boeing 747 and an Airbus A321. He was also the first person to order a giant Airbus A380 private jet, but he sold it before it was delivered.

His assets include a 95% share in Kingdom Holding Company. He also owns most of Rotana Video and Audio Visual Company. He has shares in Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation and News Corporation. He also owns parts of Citigroup and two newspapers in Lebanon. In 2009, he was listed as the richest person in Saudi Arabia.

Palaces

Al Waleed owns three palaces. His main home is the Kingdom Palace in Riyadh. It is very large, with 317 rooms. It has Italian marble, silk carpets, and gold-plated faucets. It has four kitchens, including one just for desserts. These kitchens can feed 2,000 people quickly. The palace also has a large swimming pool and a cinema.

He also owns the Kingdom Resort in Riyadh. It has three lakes and beautiful gardens. A third palace, the Kingdom Oasis, is being built. It will have a huge lake and a private zoo.

Awards

Al Waleed has received many awards for his work. In 2002, he received the highest honor in Saudi Arabia, the Order of King Abdulaziz. He has also received awards from Lebanon, Maldives, and Palestine. In 2010, he got the Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Innovation. He has also received top honors from Bahrain, Nepal, and Sierra Leone.

Honors

Saudi Arabian national honours

Ribbon bar Honour
Order of King Abdulaziz, 1st Class (Saudi Arabia).png Member 1st Class of the Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud

Foreign honors

Ribbon bar Country Honour
The Khalifiyyeh Order of Bahrain, 1st class  Bahrain Member 1st Class of the Khalifiyyeh Order of Bahrain
BEN National Order of Dahomey - Grand Officer BAR.png  Benin Grand Officer of the National Order of Benin
BRU Family Order of Brunei 1st Class.svg  Brunei Member 1st Class of the Family Order of Laila Utama
Order Stara planina ribbon  Bulgaria Member 1st Class of the Order of the Balkan Mountains
Burkina Faso Ordre national Commandeur ribbon  Burkina Faso Commander of the National Order of Burkina Faso
National Order of the Republic (Burundi) – ribbon bar  Burundi Grand Cross of the National Order of the Republic of Burundi
Ordre national du Tchad – Grand Officer  Chad Grand Officer of the National Order of Chad
Ordre de l'Etoile d'Anjouan Commandeur ribbon  Comoros Commander of the Star of Anjouan
Order of Merit – Grand Cross (Central African Republic)  Central African Republic Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit of Central African Republic
Order of the Grand Star of Djibouti – ribbon bar  Djibouti Grand Cordon of the National Order of the Star of Djibouti
Legion Honneur Commandeur ribbon  France Commander of the Legion of Honour
GAB National Order of Merit – Grand Cross BAR  Gabon Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit of Gabon
Ord.Gambia-ribbon  Gambia Grand Commander of the Order of the Republic of The Gambia
Order of the Volta (Ghanabhribbon bar  Ghana Companion of the Order of the Volta
National Order of Merit – Commander (Guinea)  Guinea Commander of the National Order of Merit of Guinea
National Order of Equatorial Guinea - ribbon bar.gif  Equatorial Guinea Grand Cross of the Order of Independence
JOR Order of the Star of Jordan GC  Jordan Grand Cordon of the Order of the Star of Jordan
Cote d'Ivoire Ordre national GC ribbon  Ivory Coast Grand Cross of the National Order of the Ivory Coast
Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya  Kenya Grand Cordon of the Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya
LBN National Order of the Cedar – Grand Officer BAR  Lebanon Grand Officer of the National Order of the Cedar
Order of the Star of Africa (Liberia) – ribbon bar  Liberia Grand Cordon of the Order of the Star of Africa
MDG National Order – Grand Cross 1st Class BAR  Madagascar Grand Cross of the National Order of Madagascar
MRT Commander Order of National Merit  Mauritania Commander of the National Order of Merit of Mauritania
Order of Izzuddin (Maldives) – ribbon bar v. 1996  Maldives Grand Cordon of the Order of the Distinguished Rule of Izzuddin
Mali Ordre national du Mali Commandeur ribbon  Mali Grand Officer of the National Order of Mali
MLT National Order of Merit BAR  Malta Companion of the National Order of Merit
MCO Order of Grimaldi – Grand Officer BAR  Monaco Grand Officer of the Order of Grimaldi
Ordre de l'Ouissam Alaouite GC ribbon (Maroc)  Morocco Grand Cordon of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite
Order of Orange-Nassau ribbon – Officer  Netherlands Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau
Order of Merit (Niger) – ribbon bar  Niger Grand Cordon of the National Order of Merit of Niger
Grand Collar of the Order of the State of Palestine ribbon.svg  Palestine Grand Cordon of the Order of the State of Palestine
Ord.Nishan-i-Pakistan.ribbon  Pakistan Second Class of Nishan-e-Pakistan
PHI Order of Sikatuna 2003 Grand Officer BAR  Philippines Grand Officer of Order of Sikatuna
SEN Order of the Lion – Grand Officer BAR  Senegal Grand Officer of the National Order of the Lion
Order of Merit for Defence – Knight (Brazil) – ribbon bar  Sierra Leone Grand Gordon of the Order of the Republic
Order of Diplomatic Service Merit (Class 3) Heung-In Medal ribbon  South Korea Sungnye Medal of the Order of Diplomatic Service Merit
Order of the Republic (Sudan) – ribbon bar  Sudan Grand Cordon of the Republic of the Sudan
Order of Umayyad (Syria) – ribbon bar  Syria Member 1st Class of the Order of the Umayyads
TWN Order of Brilliant Star 1Class BAR  Taiwan Grand Cordon of the Order of Brilliant Star
TGO Order of Mono – Grand Officer BAR  Togo Grand Officer of the Order of Mono
Order of the Republic (Tunisia) – ribbon bar  Tunisia Grand Officer of the Order of the Republic
Order of 7th November 1987.gif  Tunisia Grand Cordon of the Order of the Seventh of November
Vietnam Friendship Order ribbon  Vietnam Medal of the Friendship Order
Order of the Pearl of Africa (Uganda) – ribbon bar  Uganda Companion of the Most Excellent Order of the Pearl of Africa

Personal Life

President John F. Kennedy Visits Saud bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia (06)
His first wife, Dalal, as a child, standing between her father King Saud and John F. Kennedy, 1962

Al Waleed has been married several times. His first marriage was in 1976 when he was 19 years old. His first wife was his cousin, Princess Dalal bint Saud Al Saud. They have two children together: Prince Khaled, born in 1978, and Princess Reem, born in 1982. They later divorced in 1994.

He has been married to other women since then. His fourth wife was Ameera al-Taweel. They were married for about six years before divorcing in 2014. Al Waleed has stated that he still has great respect for her.

Images for kids

See Also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Al Waleed Bin Talal para niños

  • List of Lebanese people in Saudi Arabia
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