Rim bin al walid ibn talal. Prince on a white yacht. What it's like to be held captive by your own cousin

The wealth of the cosmopolitan investor, the nephew of the Saudi king, increased by $6.1 billion last year. Two-thirds of his capital is a 95% stake in the Kingdom Holding Company investment fund. In the five weeks leading up to the cutoff date (based on which capitalization is calculated for the Forbes rating), the company's shares have risen in price by 49%. Al-Waleed and Kingdom Holding Company own 3.5% of Citigroup, as well as large stakes in the Four Seasons and Fairmont hotel chains. In February, News Corp. acquired 9% of Al-Waleed's media company Rotana, valued at $770 million. His palaces and properties are worth more than $3 billion. He owns a jewelry collection worth $730 million and four aircraft, including an Airbus A380.

Al-Waleed ibn Talal is a member of the Saudi royal family. He is the son of Prince Talal, whose parents were the founder of Saudi Arabia, Abdul Aziz Alsaud and Princess Mona El Sol.

Al-Waleed ibn Talal received his education in the USA, first with a bachelor's degree in business management, then - a doctor of science and a doctor of law. His property is the investment empire Kingdom Holding Company. He owns the largest stakes in many well-known companies. Among them are Worldcom, Motorola, AOL, Apple, etc. The prince's interests also include real estate. These are stakes in hotels in New York, Monaco and London, as well as a chain of entertainment complexes in France. His work schedule allows him to sleep only five hours a day. It is said about him that despite being related to the ruling king, Alwaleed Alsaud tries not to get involved in politics.

Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal is actively involved in philanthropy, among other things, annually donates more than one hundred million dollars to organizations in the Middle East, Asia and Africa that deal with the needs of the needy. He organizes educational centers in the Middle East for American students, and in the USA for Islamic students. Donated twenty million dollars to the Louvre two years ago to build a new wing dedicated to Islamic art. In the same year, the prince transferred twenty million dollars each to American universities at Harvard and Georgetown. This donation is among the 25 largest at Harvard and the second largest for Georgetown. The university administration said that these charitable contributions will be used to improve curricula, as well as to expand the faculty in this area.

Prince Alwaleed promotes equal rights for women, the first in the country to hire a woman as an airplane pilot.

Prince Al-Waleed ibn Talal

Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal is the nephew of the current king of Saudi Arabia. He earned his fortune on investments, he owns the Kingdom Holding Company. Through this company, he carries out all his investments. The prince began to engage in investments, which later brought him fabulous money, back in the late seventies, taking a loan of three hundred thousand dollars. He is one of the richest people in the world.

He is said to sleep five hours a night, that's how long it takes to control investments. He owns large stakes in AOL, Apple Computers, Worldcom, Motorola, News Corporation Ltd, etc. In 1990, Al-Waleed ibn Talal acquired a controlling stake in Citicorp, which at that time was going through hard times. Now the shares owned by the prince are worth ten billion dollars.

He spends a lot on charity. After the terrible tragedy on September 11, he offered New York a donation of ten million dollars. The proposal was rejected by the mayor of the city. In 2002, Prince Alwaleed donated half a million dollars to the Bush Senior School Scholarship Fund. In December of the same year, he donated twenty-seven million dollars to the government of Saudi Arabia to pay the families of Palestinian suicide bombers. After the earthquake in Kashmir in 2005, he donated goods and funds in the amount of 5.3 million US dollars to support and restore goods and funds. Among other things, he is going to sell five percent of his Kingdom Holding Company to the public. The company's value is estimated at 17.6 billion dollars. The shares will be offered at $2.73 each. If the shares are in demand, the offer can be expanded to fifteen percent of the company's shares.

According to Al-Walid ibn Talal, issues of tolerance and understanding between East and West are among the most important in the modern world. He builds bridges between the Western and Islamic communities, organizes educational centers for American students at universities in the Middle East and for Islamic students in the United States.

The prince likes to spend money on beautiful and expensive things. He has luxurious cars, and usually he buys them in two copies: one for himself, and exactly the same for his bodyguards.

Although Prince Al-Waleed ibn Talal has not usually interfered in politics, he has recently become critical of excessive traditionalism in Saudi Arabia, advocating free elections and equal rights for women.

Elena Mordashova, ex-wife of the "steel king", lives in Moscow. Today she works in a commercial company and does not want to discuss the fate and actions of her husband. She considers her six-year-old attempt to avenge her ruined life and her abandoned son stupid and naive. She is not going to repeat it. The one who has more money is right, she is sure.

Mordashov's son, Ilya, did not want to take his father's surname and took his mother's surname. Ilya studies at the institute, where he is known not as the exiled heir to the steel empire, but as a laconic and reserved guy. Ilya does not tell anyone about his father, whom he last saw more than seven years ago.

The former general director of Severstal, Yuri Lipukhin, after his "overthrow" from the post of general director of the plant, gave only one long interview. The children and relatives of Lipukhin protect their elderly father from the obsessive attention of the press and those who are trying to use the former head of the plant to attack Mordashov. Most of the time Lipukhin lives in Sochi, reading books and tending the garden.

In a new marriage, Alexei Mordashov had three children ...

$21 billion

Prince Al Waleed bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud

Prince Al-Walid bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud

The wealth of the ruling Saudi dynasty is not usually associated with business acumen, financial luck or hard work. The only exception is the multi-billion dollar fortune of Prince al-Walid bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud. Having become chairman of his own company at 14 and a billionaire at 31, Prince al-Waleed, now 51, is a typical Western-style businessman who created himself and his capital, now estimated at $21 billion.

At the beginning of the 20th century, King Ibn Saud, with fire and sword, managed to unite the disparate tribes of the Arabian Peninsula into one state. Since 1932, the Saudi dynasty has been the ruling royal dynasty of Saudi Arabia and the custodian of one of the main common Muslim shrines - the Kaaba temple in Mecca. The al-Saud clan has over a thousand princes and princesses. The most famous of them - Prince al-Walid - stands out not only for the size of his fortune, but also for his high hierarchical position in the clan: he is the nephew of the current king of Saudi Arabia.

Al-Walid was born in 1957 from the marriage of the Prince of Blood of the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia and the daughter of the first Prime Minister of Lebanon. The parents divorced when the child was three years old, and until his 11th birthday, the boy lived with his mother in Beirut. The young offspring of the royal family was sent to America to be educated. Here, the prince graduated from Menlo College in San Francisco (has a bachelor's degree in business administration) and a master's degree in social sciences from Syracuse University in New York.

An adherent and guardian of Wahhabism in America became addicted to morning jogging, fell in love with Coca-Cola, masterfully mastered the ability to wear business suits and, they say, was even an active participant in rampant student parties.

The prince began his business activities in 1979 by providing intermediary services to foreign companies that wanted to do business with Saudi Arabia. Given the prince's proximity to the royal family and his informal influence in the region, the start was successful. In 1980, al-Waleed bin Talal established the Mamlaka Company (Kingdom in English). He himself says that he created the business with the help of $30,000 borrowed from his father and a $400,000 loan secured by a house donated by his parent. Al-Waleed continued to actively use his privileged position, obtaining lucrative construction contracts and buying land at reduced prices for subsequent resale. However, according to al-Walid himself, his contracts and real estate deals in the Riyadh district were nothing more than a “glare on the radar screen.” The metaphor used by the prince cannot be called anything other than a Freudian slip: at that time, the prince was even more interested in war than in business.

The war in Afghanistan was sacred to devout Muslims. The Saudi dynasty, at the head of Wahhabism, could not remain aloof from the events in Afghanistan. And al-Walid actively helped the Afghan Mujahideen in the fight against the Soviet Union. In 1981, the prince even had a chance to visit training camps in Peshawar, where the Mujahideen received combat training. However, after the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan in 1989 and the outbreak of civil war in that country, al-Walid stopped sending money there. According to him, he made his last donation to the Mujahideen in April 1990, giving them $5.4 million.

It is said that the owner of this "flying palace" based on the Airbus A380 for 500 million dollars, Saudi prince al-Waleed bin Talal, was very upset to learn that in the Forbes rating for 2013, he took only 26th place among the richest people on the planet. Well, it remains only to sympathize with the prince and wish him success.
Meanwhile, let's take a look at the interior of his personal aircraft (and not the only one, of course, you know, the status does not allow it), which he has been building since 2007. This plane has on board a garage for two Rolls-Royce cars, a prayer room that can rotate (so that it always points towards Mecca), as well as a stable for horses and camels.
There is also a swimming pool and a sauna on board the liner (why?). And now attention! On top of everything else, the prince decided to literally gild his airbus, so that everyone would be protected for sure! Coating the body of the aircraft with gold cost the Arab prince $58 million...

By the way, Saudi Arabia is not very popular among tourists, but its neighbors - the United Arab Emirates, very much so! Here
www.optio-travel.ru/oaae.jdx we are looking for a suitable tour in the UAE and enjoy the beauty and luxury of Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

A few facts about the prince: Al-Waleed ibn Talal ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud was born on March 7, 1955, a member of the Saudi royal family, an entrepreneur and an international investor. He made his fortune on investment projects and buying shares.
Al-Waleed has a Bachelor of Science and a Master's degree. He was also awarded a PhD from the International University of Exeter. Was divorced twice. In 2006, he met his third wife, Princess Amire, and proposed to her. Has two children: Prince Khaled and Princess Reem.
Al-Waleed began his business career in 1979 after graduating from Menlo College. He took out a $300,000 loan and brokered business with foreign firms wishing to do business in Saudi Arabia.
Collaborated with Bill Gates, being one of the co-owners of Four Seasons Hotels, and in 2004 supported Microsoft's expansion in Saudi Arabia.

This weekend in Saudi Arabia, there were mass detentions of members of the royal family and people associated with it. Among those suspected of corruption was Prince Al-Waleed, who tried to establish ties with Russia

Al Waleed (Photo: Philippe Wojazer/Reuters)

“Putting personal interests above the public”

On the evening of November 4, King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia issued a decree to combat corruption and announced that he intended to completely put an end to abuses in the country's power structures. As the monarch explained, in the highest government circles there were people “who put their personal interests above public ones” in order to enrich themselves illegally.

Shortly thereafter, the Al Arabiya TV channel reported mass arrests: 11 members of the Saudi royal family, four current and "dozens" of former ministers were suspected of corruption. Among them are Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the former head of the Ministry of the National Guard, Prince Mitab bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. What exactly the representatives of the Saudi dynasty did is not explained. However, Bloomberg reported that Al-Waleed, in particular, was detained at his desert camp.

On Monday, November 6, a senior Saudi official told,. Billionaire Al-Walid is suspected of money laundering, bribery and extortion from officials. Prince Mitab bin Abdullah is accused of embezzlement, hiring dead souls, transferring government contracts to his own companies, among which is a $ 10 billion deal for the supply of walkie-talkies and bulletproof vests. Former Finance Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf is accused of embezzlement in the expansion of the Great Mosque of Mecca. In addition, he is suspected of using his official position and confidential information in transactions with land. The ex-governor of Riyadh, Prince Turki ibn Abdullah, according to the authorities, also provided contracts to his own companies, and also committed abuses during the construction of the subway.

prince vs prince

Against the background of fragmentary data from Saudi Arabia, there were different versions of what goal the 81-year-old monarch pursued. According to Bloomberg, the detentions only fueled rumors that King Salman is clearing the way to the throne for his 32-year-old son, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. It was his supporter Khaled Ayyaf who replaced Mitab as head of the National Guard Ministry. The interlocutors of the agency pointed to the fact that in recent months it was people from the Crown Prince’s entourage who occupied responsible posts, and Mitab hardly held his positions.

Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (Photo: Yuri Kochetkov / EPA)

Middle East expert Hani Sabra told Bloomberg that the strengthening of the crown prince's position has previously caused discontent among many influential Saudis. Now, with Khaled Ayyaf in charge of what was considered the stronghold of the former King Abdullah's clan, it is almost impossible to predict the reaction within the royal family.

Experts took great surprise at the detention of Al-Walid, who repeatedly expressed his loyalty to both King Salman and his son. For example, in September, a huge portrait of the monarch was displayed on the skyscraper Alwaleed Kingdom Tower in honor of the national holiday. However, Market Watch indicates that the prince may have been reminded of his relatives. If Al-Walid himself did not claim a leading role in government, then his father Talal bin Abdul Aziz actively opposed the promotion of Prince Mohammed. The sources of the publication associate a quick purge within the ruling dynasty with Salman's alleged decision to retire at the end of this or early next year.

Facing Iran and back to Trump

The detention of Al-Waleed caused surprise among his business associates. According to The New York Times, it was no coincidence that he was called the Middle Eastern Warren Buffett. Forbes estimates the fortune of Prince Al-Waleed at $18 billion, which allows him to occupy the 45th place in the ranking of the richest people in the world. He owns a 95% stake in Kingdom Holding and is the largest shareholder of one of the international financial conglomerates Citigroup (more than 6% of the shares). He also owns shares in companies such as Four Seasons (together with Bill Gates they own 95% of the shares), Twitter, 21st Century Fox, Disney. He also owns the George V hotels in Paris and the Plaza in New York.

According to The New York Times, the arrest of the prince was made against the backdrop of a strengthening friendship between Prince Mohammed and US President Donald Trump. Al-Walid, despite the difficult relationship between Riyadh and Tehran, was going to invest in the Iranian economy a few years ago and abandoned this idea because of the tough position of King Salman. Mohammed, in his views on Tehran, does not contradict Trump in any way.

Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and Donald Trump (Photo: Mandel Mgan/EPA)

At the same time, it should be noted that Trump did not have a relationship with Al-Waleed. Even during the election campaign in the United States, businessmen exchanged barbs. Prince named Republican candidate "