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Oct 13, 2012
Prince Alwaleed Holds Private Meeting with Bill Gates

HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, Chairman of Kingdom Holding Company (KHC) hold private meeting with Mr. Bill Gates, Co-Founder and Chairman of Microsoft and CEO, Cascade Investment, L.L.C and Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation during His Highness visit to Abu Dhabi. Part of the meeting was attended by Mr.  Jamal Khashoggi, General Manager of Alarab news channel that is personally owned by HRH, Ms. Heba Fatani, Senior Executive Manager, Corporate Communications Department, Dr. Nahla Nasser Alanbar, Private Executive Assistant to HRH the Chairman Ms. Hassna F. Alturki, Department Head, Travel & External Affairs and Mr. Husam A. AlSuliman, Executive Assistant to HRH the Chairman.

During the meeting the two discussed the latest economic developments. Moreover, Prince Alwaleed and Mr. Gates discussed topics related to KHC’s international investments including its stake of 47.5% in the Four Seasons which is co-owned by Bill Gates’ Cascade with a 47.5% stake, which the remaining 5% is owned by Mr. Isadore Sharp, Chairman of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. Also, the two discussed potential collaboration between Alwaleed Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Furthermore, Prince Alwaleed and Mr. Gates attended the inauguration of the 3rd Abu Dhabi Media Summit on Tuesday October 9th 2012. The 3-day Summit was held at the Yas Hotel under the patronage of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, attended and represented by HH Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs. An opening speech was also presented by H.E. Mr.  Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Member of the Executive Council for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of Executive Affairs Authority, CEO of the Mubadala Development Company. During the event, a keynote speech was given by Mr. Gates.

In January 2012, Prince Alwaleed received Mr. Gates, at Kingdom Resort. The meeting was attended by HH Princess Ameerah Al-Taweel, Vice Chairwoman of Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation chaired by Prince Alwaleed, Mr. Shadi Sanbar, KHC’s CFO and Ms. Amani Algahtani, Assistant Executive Manager- HRH’s Palaces.

Prince Alwaleed has attended the annual Microsoft CEO Summit held at the Microsoft Conference Center in Redmond Campus in Seattle, Washington. The Prince’s visit was in response to an invitation from Mr. Bill Gates to attend the event. The Prince was accompanied by his spouse Princess Ameerah Al-Taweel and a delegation from KHC, and the Foundation. The Summit was exclusive to 100 CEOs most influential in the world.

During the function, Prince Alwaleed met with some of the most prominent CEOs that included Mr. Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway Chairman and CEO. There was an opportunity to discuss general issues, topics related to investments and HRH’s international investments especially in the United States. HRH has significant investments in the US through KHC in the banking sector through Citigroup where he is the largest individual shareholder, in the media sector through News Corporation, and hotels sector through the management of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Fairmont and The Plaza Hotel, New York. In addition to prestigious hotels in various US states. Moreover, investments in the entertainment sector through Time Warner and Walt Disney, and many other investments in the US.

The Microsoft CEO Summit was established in 1997 in response to growing interest in the convergence of technology and business issues among corporate CEOs. Attendees had an opportunity to hear leading industry experts analyze economic trends and technology issues. The event was private, provided a forum in which CEOs from major companies and prominent business people discussed business challenges and shared insights and experiences with their peers from around the world.