SAUDI ARABIA - Economy
Investor & Chairman, KBW Holding
Bio
HRH Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud is a businessman and entrepreneur, founder of KBW Holding and KBW Consultancy, a member of the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia, and a passionate voice for the entrepreneurial energy of the Middle East. Born in California, Khaled spent his youth in Riyadh, before beginning a business career that has taken him all over the world. Today, Khaled lives in Riyadh as he focuses on building the KBW business. In addition to KBW, Khaled has interests in more than 20 companies around the globe. He is an investor and partner in TechnoBuffalo, and has been at the vanguard of a number of technology innovations—from credit card processing in its early days to SMS-based applications.
At KBW, we invest in a diverse array of businesses around the globe, from established businesses in the construction industry to promising technology start-ups. The key is to select investments that align with the changing needs of a particular region. KBW was born out of the recognition that synergies do exist between diverse companies, and their growth can be greatly enhanced if their efforts are synchronized. This is true in both established and emerging markets. I learned from my father to invest in companies that matter, looking particularly for those with a solid history or clear vision for the future. Naturally, I invest in companies that I feel passionate about.
I’ve studied the Brazilian market closely over the past two years, and in that time have seen an increasing role for the private sector, particularly related to infrastructure projects. For Brazil to continue growing, it will need to invest in infrastructure such as railways, highways, and ports. That’s why we have chosen to focus specifically on infrastructure projects, as well as oil and gas, logistics, and mining. In Brazil, I see the most promise in services that are pegged to the US dollar, such as oil and gas, and with product prices that are defined by international markets, such as commodities. As one example, KBW has invested in a SAR1 billion ($430 million) infrastructure complex, Petrocity Portos S.A., that will serve the oil industry in Brazil, based near one of Brazil’s large new oil-producing areas. We have also supported Royal Minerals—which explores for iron ore, gravel, and granite—and Arcadia Engenharia do Brasil, a construction and engineering firm. Importantly, as we invest in Brazil, we are working closely with local and regional governments to understand what they need from the private sector. For instance, during my last visit to Brazil, I met with local and regional governments in Espirito Santo and Santa Catarina (where KBW’s South American head office will be located). We had a firsthand look into what the Brazilian local governments would like to see from the private sector, particularly from private-public partnership (PPP) initiatives.
One of my greatest ambitions is to see this next generation realize its full potential and entrepreneurial promise. The young people of Saudi Arabia hold the keys to our future—but we must help them channel their creative energy in effective ways. Start-ups provide the energy, vitality and dynamism essential to any growing economy. By supporting them, we can help bring greater opportunity to the youth of Saudi Arabia—and in turn, help their success become the country’s success. Investing can help, but we also need to work together to build a supportive environment that sets innovative thinkers up to succeed. That means making it easier for start-ups and budding entrepreneurs to be creative, to start new companies, and even to fail sometimes in the process. For example, the King Abdullah Scholarship is vital to helping entrepreneurs succeed. However, the vision that King Abdullah and his advisors have for this amazing program needs to be supported with actual opportunities for young graduates to go out and stand on their own two feet, instead of being chaperoned constantly. They need the opportunity to try, and even to fail, in the real world. You only learn from your mistakes.
A private equity portfolio consisting of the assets of a variety of different companies has many variables that impact the overall result, so this is not an easy question to answer. Simultaneously, there are a number of decisions that will impact our size. For example, something we are discussing within the firm is whether to accept or not accept new investors. It’s a decision that will inevitably bring changes, specifically in the regulatory aspect. So time will tell, but suffice it to say I am confident about our future.
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