Early Life
Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud was born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 7, 1955. He is a member of the House of Saud, the grandson of the first king of Saudi Arabia, and the nephew of subsequent Saudi kings. His mother is Princess Mona Al Solh, the daughter of Lebanon's first prime minister. He received his education in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and the United States.
Rise to Success
Alwaleed began his business career in 1980, founding Kingdom Holding Company. He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Menlo College in 1979 and a master's in social science from Syracuse University in 1985. He built a global empire spanning finance, technology, hotels, and media. Alwaleed is often referred to as the "Arabian Warren Buffett". He became a billionaire by 1989 through stakes in high-profile assets.
Key Business Strategies
His strategy included early investments in Apple, Motorola, News Corporation, and Citigroup. He invested $300 million in Twitter in 2011. Alwaleed's investments include ownership in luxury hotels such as the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris and the Savoy Hotel in London. He owns a 95% stake in Kingdom Holding Company.
Philanthropy
Alwaleed is known for his philanthropic efforts through Alwaleed Philanthropies, which has supported various causes. In 2015, he pledged his fortune to charity.