HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, Chairman of Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), visited the Kingdom of Bahrain on Tuesday 30th September 2014. The Prince was accompanied by a delegation that included Mr. Fahad Alsukait, CEO of Alarab and Rotana Group, Mr. Jamal Khashoggi, General Manager of Alarab news channel, Dr. Nahla Nasser Alanbar, Private Executive Assistant to HRH the Chairman, Ms. Abir Kaki, Secretary General Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation, Mr. Hassan Mukhtar, HRH Private Office, Ms. Manal Alshammary, Manager, Protocol Department, Mr. Fahad Bin Saad Bin Nafel, Executive Assistant to HRH the Chairman, Mr. Mohammed Alfaraj, Assistant Manager Travel & External Affairs and Mr. Ghsain Alshaibani.

During the visit, Prince Alwaleed met with HM King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of #Bahrain at His Majesty’s Palace. During the meeting, His Majesty and Prince Alwaleed discussed a number of general local, regional issues and the global economic climate. Moreover, the two discussed economic, educational and social issues related to their respective countries.

Recently, HM King Hamad Bin Issa attended a gala dinner hosted by Prince Alwaleed at the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris, France. In April 2014, HRH attended the Formula-1 Race that took place at the Bahrain International Circuit with HRH Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Prince Alwaleed was received at Bahrain International Airport by HE Sheikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Minister of Culture. Also during HRH’s visit to Bahrain, Prince Alwaleed attended the 22nd Annual Heritage Festival with HE Sheikha Mai Bint Mohammed.

Also during the Prince Alwaleed’s trip to Bahrain, His Highness visited Rotana media offices that is chaired by HRH and Alarab News Channel headquarters that is owned by HRH at Bahrain World Trade Centre. His Highness was received by the State Minister for Information Affairs Samira Ibrahim Bin Rajab and Information Affairs Authority President Ali Mohammed Al Rumaihi.

Alarab is a 24-hour channel which will target Arabic-speaking viewers across the Arab world and beyond. Prince Alwaleed also announced an agreement with Bloomberg LP in which Bloomberg will support the creation of five-hours of financial and economic news programing throughout the day on the channel. The Alarab news channel is an independent venture from Kingdom Holding Company and the Rotana Group and is privately owned by Prince Alwaleed.

In 2012, HM King Hamad awarded Prince Alwaleed the “The Bahrain Medal of the First Order” the country’s highest honorary medal.  Furthermore, during the trip Prince Alwaleed and HE Sheikha Mai visited the “Tylos: A Journey Beyond Life" at the National Museum of Bahrain. Upon their arrival they were received by HE Khaled Bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Foreign Affairs. Approximately 400 artifacts were presented at the exhibition dating back to the era of Tylos of the second century BC to the third century AD.

Also in the same year, Prince Alwaleed was welcomed by HM King Hamad who hosted a dinner in honor of Prince Alwaleed at the Bustan Palace in AlManama during HRH’s visit to Bahrain.

In 2012, Prince Alwaleed and HRH Prince Salman Bin Hamad AlKhalifa attended the inauguration of “Bahrain the Capital of Arab Culture 2012” under the patronage of HM King Hamad, at the National Museum of Bahrain. The inauguration was also attended by HE Sheikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, HE Sheikh Khaled Bin Ahmed AlKhalifa, Foreign Minister in Bahrain, government officials and dignitaries.

In 2011, Prince Alwaleed congratulated HM King Hamad, the government and the people of Bahrain for the national team gold medal victory in the 12th football championship of the Arab Games which concluded in Doha, Qatar. To mark the occasion, Prince Alwaleed presented $10,000 as a gift to each team member and stressed the importance of supporting sports and athletes in the GCC countries.

KHC’s presence in Bahrain is through its indirect investments in the banking sector through Citigroup which has been operating in Al Manama for the past 40 years, and in the hotels sector through Mövenpick hotel in Bahrain that is managed by Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts in which KHC owns a 33.3% stake. In addition, the Four Seasons hotel in Bahrain will be opening soon, managed by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in which KHC holds a 47.5% stake and is co-owned by Bill Gates’ Cascade in which the company also holds a 47.5% stake, and 5% of the Four Seasons is owned by Isadore Sharp, the Company’s Chairman. In addition, the opening of the Four Seasons Hotel in Manama will take place in the near future.