HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, Chairman of Kingdom Holding Company (KHC) and an accompanying delegation, visited the Republic of Turkey on Wednesday, May 6th 2015.
During the visit, Prince Alwaleed met with HE President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of #Turkey at the presidential palace in capital Ankara. During the meeting, President Erdoğan and Prince Alwaleed discussed a number of general local, regional issues and the global economic climate. Moreover, the two discussed investment, educational and social issues related to their respective countries. In addition, the President and Prince Alwaleed also discussed HRH’s investments in Turkey through KHC.
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, Ms. Hassna Alturki, Executive Manager for International Relations to HRH the Chairman, Mr. John Ireland, CFO Rotana and Alarab News Channel, Ms. Sultana Alruwaily, Executive Manager, Human Resources of Rotana and Alarab News Channel, Mr. Hani Agha, Head of Travel and External Affairs Department, Mr. Fahad Bin Nafil, Senior Executive Assistant to HRH the Chairman, Mr. Ahmed Altubaishi, Executive Assistant to HRH the Chairman, and Ms. Lulua Hamzah, Coordinator Travel and External Affairs Department.
Prince Alwaleed has investments in hotel management companies through KHC that manage the following hotels in different locations in Turkey:
Four Seasons Hotel at the Bosphorus
Four Seasons Hotel Sultanahmet
Four Seasons Resort in Bodrum - Construction to start in 2016
Four Seasons Hotel – Cesme - Project in progress
The Raffles Hotel in Istanbul
The Fairmont Hotel in Istanbul – opening in 2016
Swissotel Turgutreis - Bodrum – opening in 2015
Swissotel Yokusbasi- Bodrum – opening in 2016
Swissotel Istanbul
Swissotel Ankara
Swissotel Grand Efes Izmir
Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul
Mövenpick Hotel Izmir
Mövenpick Hotel Bodrum
Moreover, KHC has a presence in the financial and media sectors in Turkey through:
Citigroup
Fox Turkey channel through News Corporation
In 2012, a private meeting was held between Prince Alwaleed and PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey at the time during HRH’s trip to Bursa, Turkey. During the trip, Prince Alwaleed and Mr. Erdoğan inaugurated the 1st Turk - Arab Tourism Meeting that was under Mr. Erdoğan’s patronage. The 1st Turk - Arab Tourism was sponsored by the Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG) in which Prince Alwaleed through KHC owns a 29.9% stake.
The publications that fall under SRMG include Asharq Al Awsat, Al Eqtisadiah, Arab News, Hia magazine, Al Majalla magazine, Arrajol magazine and Sayidati magazine. Furthermore, other entities that fall under SRMG are Al Khaleejiya for Publicity Advertising and Public Relations and Al Madina Printing and Publishing Company.
In 2009, HE Turkish President Abdullah Gul at the time hosted a luncheon in honor of Prince Alwaleed at the presidential palace in capital Ankara during the Prince’s trip to Turkey.
In addition, HRH also met with Mr. Erdoğan during the 2009 trip at the office of the PM in Ankara. In 2007, the Prince received Mr. Erdoğan and his wife Mrs. Emine Erdoğan, and an accompanying delegation at Kingdom Resort and hosted a luncheon in honor of his guest; the two also met in Jeddah in 2005.