Prince Alwaleed: “The Rotana & Alarab HQ relocation to Bahrain coincides with the handover of the GCC Summit presidency from Saudi to Bahrain”

HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, Chairman of Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), Chairman of Rotana Group and the owner of Alarab News Channel, visited the Kingdom of Bahrain on Sunday 30th December 2012. During Prince Alwaleed’s visit to Bahrain His Highness met with HRH Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain.

During the meeting Prince Khalifa Bin Salman and Prince Alwaleed discussed the warm friendship between their two countries and referred to a number of economic and social issues. The meeting touched upon the latest developments in the GCC, Arab and International countries. Moreover, the two discussed the relocation of Rotana & Alarab to the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Prince Alwaleed: “The Rotana & Alarab HQ relocation to Bahrain coincides with the handover of the GCC Summit presidency from Saudi to Bahrain.”

The meeting was also attended by HH Sheikh Ali Bin Khalifa AlKhalifa, Deputy Prime Minister of Bahrain, HE Sheikh Fawaz Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s President of Information Affairs Authority (IAA), HE Ms. Samira Ibrahim Rajab, Minister of State for Information Affairs, HH Sheikh Khalifa Bin Ali AlKhalifa, HH Sheikh Isa Bin Ali AlKhalifa, HH Sheikh Hussam Bin Isa AlKhalifa, Head of His Royal Highness the Prime Minister’s Court, HH Sheikh Abdullah Bin Rashid AlKhalifa, HE Mr. Khalid Abdullah AlZayani and HE Mr. Mohammed Badawi, Charge D’Affairs Saudi Embassy to Kingdom of Bahrain.

Prince Alwaleed was accompanied by a delegation that included Mr. Fahad Alsukait, CEO- Rotana Group and CEO of Alarab news channel, Mr. Jamal Khashoggi, General Manager of Alarab news channel, Dr. Nahla Nasser Alanbar, Private Executive Assistant to HRH the Chairman, Ms. Sultana AlRuwaily, Executive Manager, Human Resources & Administration affairs, Mr. Husam A. AlSuliman, Executive Assistant to HRH the Chairman, Mr. Mohammed Alfaraj, Assistant Manager, Travel & External Affairs and Mr. Hassan Mukhtar, Manager, Private Affairs for HRH the Chairman.

In November 2012, Prince Alwaleed and HH Princess Ameerah Al-Taweel, Vice Chairwoman and Secretary General of Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation that is chaired by Prince Alwaleed, attended the inauguration of “National Theatre of Bahrain” under the patronage of HM King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain at Bahrain National Museum. The inauguration was also attended by HRH Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, HE Sheikh Khaled Bin Ahmed AlKhalifa, Foreign Minister in Bahrain, HE Sheikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Minister of Culture in Bahrain, HE Dr. Abdulaziz Bin Mohieddin Khoja, Saudi Arabian Minister of Culture and Information and Arab Ministers of Culture and officials representing several organizations and authorities.

The National Theatre of Bahrain slogan is entitled “Invest in Culture” to serve the educational events, activities, festivals and art exhibitions as well as musical concerts and other activities that reflect peoples culture and heritage. In addition, the National Theatre seats up to over 1,000 guests and is considered a cultural milestone for various cultural activities and performances at the level of the performing arts such as opera and musicals theater surrounded by an  architectural masterpiece derived from the beauty of the Arabian heritage.

In 2012, Prince Alwaleed received in his office in Riyadh HE Sheikh Fawaz Bin Mohammed AlKhalifa, and an accompanying delegation. Moreover, Prince Alwaleed hosted a dinner in honor of his guest at Kingdom resort in Riyadh.

In May 2012, HM King Hamad awarded Prince Alwaleed the “The Bahrain Medal of the First Order” the countries highest honorary medal. The ceremony was attended by HE Sheikh Khaled Bin Ahmed Bin Salman, Minister of the Royal Court, HRH Sheikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa HE Sheikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa and HE Ms. Samira Ibrahim Rajab.

Also, in May 2012, Prince Alwaleed was welcomed by HM King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa who hosted a dinner in honor of His Highness at the Bustan Palace in AlManama during HRH’s visit to Bahrain. Furthermore, while in Bahrain, Prince Alwaleed and HE Sheikh Fawaz Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, signed the agreement for the Rotana and Alarab Channel headquarters’ new location in Manama, Bahrain and held a Press conference.

Prince Alwaleed commented: “This is the strategic step for Rotana and Alarab news channel and a giant leap for media in the region.”

In February 2012, Prince Alwaleed and HRH Prince Salman Bin Hamad AlKhalifa Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Bahrain attended the inauguration of “Bahrain the Capital of Arab Culture 2012” under the patronage of HM King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, 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. Manama has been selected as the capital of Arab culture for 2012. This important cultural event is the result of years of continuous effort to preserve the cultural heritage and national knowledge, the preservation of national identity, promote cultural interaction and cultural exchange among Arab countries.

In December 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.  Moreover, Prince Alwaleed received HE Mr. Abdulmuhsin Fahad Almarik the Saudi Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain who briefed HRH about this great achievement.

Prince Alwaleed visited the Kingdom of Bahrain early 2011, during the visit HRH met with HM King Hamad. The main purpose of the Prince’s visit was to affirm his confidence in the leadership of HM King Hamad and HRH Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, wishing Bahrain stability and prosperity. Moreover during the visit, Prince Alwaleed met with Dr. Essam Fakhro, Chairman of Bahrain’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and its members. In addition, a press conference was held where HRH addressed the media and the Chamber of Commerce members confirming his confidence in the leadership of the King and Crown Prince. The Prince also referred to the banks and companies that exist in Bahrain, and re-affirmed his investment presence in the country though KHC. Prince Alwaleed also expressed his readiness to further invest in the country. In turn, the head of the chamber and its members welcomed HRH’s visit and thanked him for his support of their local economy.

Prince Alwaleed also referred to his long established warm relationship with the Kingdom of Bahrain in his recent interview with US CNBC on March 11th 2011 and his confidence in the leadership of HM King of Bahrain and HRH Crown Prince of Bahrain wishing Bahrain stability and prosperity.

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.