Bakr bin Laden بكر بن لادن | |
|---|---|
| Born | Bakr bin Mohammed bin 'Awad bin Laden 1946 (age 78–79) Mecca, Saudi Arabia |
| Citizenship | Saudi Arabia |
| Alma mater | University of Miami (BBA) |
| Known for | Chairman ofSaudi Binladin Group |
| Father | Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden |
Bakr bin Mohammed bin 'Awad bin Laden (Arabic:بكر بن محمد بن عوض بن لادن; born 1946) is the former chairman of theJeddah-basedSaudi Binladin Group and the former largest shareholder in the group, with a 23.58% holding.[1] He is the son of the family's patriarch,Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden, and a half-brother ofOsama bin Laden.
Bakr bin Laden attended college at theUniversity of Miami School of Business at theUniversity of Miami inCoral Gables, Florida in the United States.[2]
Despite theArabian Peninsula's comparatively small construction sector compared to other regions of the world, Saudi Binladin Group grew substantially under bin Laden's management. Under his leadership, the firm joined withQatari Diar, aDoha-based real estate company, to launch a joint venture holding company, which is expected to have a significant capital base. The new venture will have two umbrella firms, one of which will carry out large contracting and construction works inQatar and the rest of the world. It is also currently working to secure a $994.6m contract to design and build 30 parcels in theKing Abdullah Financial District inRiyadh.[3]
In April 2018, while under detention by theSaudi government, Bakr transferred his investment stake inSaudi Binladin Group to the government of Saudi Arabia.[4]
On 4 November 2017, Bakr bin Laden was arrested inSaudi Arabia in a corruption crackdown conducted by a new royal anti-corruption committee and detained without trial.[5][6][7] Bakr was initially detained at theRitz-Carlton in Riyadh[4] and later held in a publicly-unknown location.[6] The Saudi government seized the deed to a villa owned by Bakr overlooking theRed Sea.[6]
In January 2019, Bakr bin Laden and several other detainees were released by the Saudi government. In addition to bin Laden, those released includeMohammed Hussein Al Amoudi, a businessman with substantial investments inEthiopia and withAmr Dabbagh, a former government minister who once led theSaudi Arabian General Investment Authority, which is designed to attract foreign investment in Saudi Arabia. His release followed global pressure on the Saudi government and Crown PrinceMohammed bin Salman following theassassination of Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents at the Saudi consulate inIstanbul.[8][9]