Prince Alwaleed bin Talal

If appropriate when Forbes magazine said Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is the 13th world richest and the first level of Arabic. With total net assets reached US$ 23 billion until 2007, he was the owner of the largest Citigroup shares and 95% shares in the United Kingdom. The fact, Alwaleed empire consists of 42 investments in 10 sectors of Apple Computers and Citigroup to the Four Seasons and News Corporation. In practice, the coverage of his investment is much greater, and most do not see the outside world.

Although just lose US$ 2.5 billion due to the mortgage crisis in the United States, the kingdom of the business is not shaky. The billionaire name of Saudi Arabia is even more bounce. In fact, he became the first person has a super luxury aircraft A380 Super Jumbo. Recently, Alwaleed inject more funds to the largest United States bank.

Besides, the rich Arab prince also have other purposes, namely to increase their stock-ownership that currently less than four percent to be five percent. The strategy smoothly success. Citigroup shares fell to a previous 23% can eventually rise 21% to US$ 6.61 in pre-opening of transactions. For Alwaleed, who already have a Citi shares since early 1990's and joined the bank rescue program to design, the step is one part in maintaining his ownership portion under five percent to avoid regulatory investigations.

Alwaleed business career started with a transaction broker foreign companies who want to have business in Saudi Arabia. This evolved to the transactions of land in the 1980's, in addition to investment banking in Saudi, which undervalue at that time. In the year of 1982, two years after founding the company called Kingdom Establishment in a small office in Riyadh, Alwaleed get the first success transaction: the US$ 8 project to build the bachelor's club in a celibate military academy near Riyadh. He represents the small contractors from South Korea. From this project, Alwaleed grow business rapidly and become more sophisticated. Not only act as an agent, it is increasing the benefits to the company to establish itself and form a joint venture with foreign parties.