Faisal bin Salman Al Saud

{{Short description|Saudi royal, businessman and governor (born 1970)}}

{{Infobox royalty

| full name = Faisal bin Salman bin Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud

| title =

| image = فيصل-بن-سلمان.jpg

| caption =

| issue =

| succession = Governor of Madinah Province

| reign = 14 January 2013 – 12 December 2023

| reg-type = Appointed by

| regent = King Abdullah

| predecessor = Abdulaziz bin Majid

| successor = Salman bin Sultan Al Saud

| father = King Salman

| mother = Sultana bint Turki Al Sudairi

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|12|25|df=y}}

| birth_place = Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

| house = Al Saud

| module = {{Infobox person|child=yes| alma mater = {{ubl|King Saud University |Oxford University}}}}

}}

Faisal bin Salman Al Saud ({{langx|ar|فيصل بن سلمان آل سعود}} Fayṣal bin Salmān Āl Suʿūd; born 25 December 1970) is a member of the House of Saud, a grandson of King Abdulaziz and son of King Salman, and was governor of Madinah province in Saudi Arabia from 14 January 2013 to 12 December 2023. Following his tenure as governor, he was appointed as a special advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman, holding ministerial rank. He was also appointed chairman of the Board of Directors of the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (KAFRA), based on a recommendation by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. Additionally, Prince Faisal has been appointed as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the King Fahad National Library by the Crown Prince.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-12 |title=King appoints Prince Salman bin Sultan emir of Madinah and Prince Faisal bin Salman his special advisor |url=https://www.saudigazette.com.sa/article/638629 |access-date=2024-09-12 |website=Saudigazette |language=English}}

Early life and education

Prince Faisal was born in Riyadh on 25 December 1970.{{cite news|date=15 January 2013|title=Madinah governor known for his humanitarian work|newspaper=Arab News|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Madinah+governor+known+for+his+humanitarian+work.-a0314864674|access-date=3 April 2013}} He is the fifth son of Salman bin Abdulaziz, the King of Saudi Arabia.{{cite news|date=14 January 2013|title=Saudi king appoints new governors for Madinah and Eastern Province|newspaper=Al Arabiya |url=http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2013/01/14/260448.html|url-status=dead|access-date=14 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115075501/http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2013/01/14/260448.html|archive-date=15 January 2013}} His mother is Sultana bint Turki Al Sudairi, who died in July 2011.{{cite news|date=1 August 2011|title=Princess Sultana bint Turki Al Sudairy dies |url=http://www.lifeinriyadh.com/princess-sultana-bint-turki-al-sudairy-dies |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015154950/http://www.lifeinriyadh.com/princess-sultana-bint-turki-al-sudairy-dies|archive-date=15 October 2012|access-date=4 May 2012|work=Arab News}} She was a daughter of King Salman's uncle, Turki bin Ahmed Al Sudairi,{{cite news|date=3 August 2011|title=Sultana, wife of Riyadh Emir, passes away|newspaper=Saudi Gazette|access-date=26 May 2012 |url=http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=20110803106640|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228132942/http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=20110803106640|archive-date=28 December 2013}} who was formerly the governor of Asir Province.{{cite web|title=Sultana bint Ahmad bin Muhammad Al Sudairi|url=http://www.datarabia.com/royals/viewBio.do?id=176248|access-date=8 May 2012 |publisher=Datarabia}} Faisal is a full brother of Prince Fahd, Prince Ahmed, Prince Sultan, Prince Abdulaziz and Princess Hassa.{{cite news|date=3 August 2011|title=Kingdom mourns loss of princess|newspaper=The Siasat Daily|access-date=26 May 2012

|url=http://www.siasat.com/english/news/kingdom-mourns-loss-princess}}

Faisal bin Salman holds a bachelor's degree in political science from King Saud University.{{cite news |date=14 January 2013|title=Profile: Prince Faisal bin Salman |newspaper=Asharq Alawsat |url=http://www.aawsat.net/2013/01/article55239133 |url-status=dead|access-date=24 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615023831/http://www.aawsat.net/2013/01/article55239133 |archive-date=15 June 2013}} He received a PhD from Oxford University in 1999. His PhD thesis was titled "Iran, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf: Power Politics in Transition 1968-1971",{{cite web |title=IISS announces the appointment of HRH Prince Faisal bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as a member of the IISS Council |url=http://www.ameinfo.com/193951.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055224/http://www.ameinfo.com/193951.html |archive-date=21 September 2013 |access-date=27 March 2012 |work=AMEinfo |df=dmy}} and was published by I.B.Tauris in 2003.{{cite book |author=Faisal bin Salman Al Saud |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0qu5MJLAs-MC&pg=PA117 |title=Iran, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf: Power Politics in Transition |publisher=I.B.Tauris |year=2003 |isbn=978-1-86064-881-6 |location=London; New York}}

Career

Prince Faisal was a professor of political science at King Saud University. He studied especially political relations in the Persian Gulf region among the others during his academic career.{{cite journal|author=Fatemeh Shayan|author-link=Fatemeh Shayan

|pages=633–661|doi=10.1080/14650045.2013.769961|s2cid=145503336}} During this period he was a research fellow at Georgetown University.{{cite news|author=David D. Kirkpatrick|title=Surprising Saudi Rises as a Prince Among Princes|work=The New York Times|date=6 June 2015

|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/07/world/middleeast/surprising-saudi-rises-as-a-prince-among-princes.html?_r=0|access-date=29 October 2015

|location=Riyadh}}

After the death of his brother Prince Ahmed in 2002, Prince Faisal took over as chairman of the Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG), reportedly the largest media company in the Middle East, North and Central Africa.{{cite book|author=William A. Rugh|title=The Arab Mass Media: Newspapers, Radio, and Television in Arab Politics|year=2004

|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UGfbluSa4N8C&pg=PA169|publisher=Praeger|isbn=978-0-275-98212-6|page=169|location=Westport, CT; London}} He was reported to own around seven percent of the company, while the family of his late brother Ahmed owns three percent.{{cite web|title=Ideological and Ownership Trends in the Saudi Media|url=http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=09RIYADH651|work=Cablegate|access-date=1 May 2012|date=11 May 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116083750/http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=09RIYADH651|archive-date=16 January 2013|url-status=dead}} It is reported that the newspapers owned by the SRMG, including Arab News, Asharq Al-Awsat and Al Eqtisadiah take a pro-government position and supported King Abdullah's cautious reforms. Faisal bin Salman began to publish a new magazine through the SRMG that is an Arabic translation of the magazine Robb Report. He also established a school for training journalists and other media people.{{cite web|author=Deidre Woollard|title=Saudi Prince Launches Arabic Robb Report|url=http://www.luxist.com/tag/price+faisal+bin+salman/|work=Luxist|access-date=30 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521181557/http://www.luxist.com/tag/price+faisal+bin+salman/|archive-date=21 May 2013|url-status=dead}} He has been the chairman of Jadwa Investment, a Riyadh-based leading Saudi investment bank, since 2006.{{cite web|title=Board of Directors|url=http://www.jadwa.com/en/directorssection/about-jadwa/board-of-directors|publisher=Jadwa Investment|access-date=24 April 2012|archive-date=3 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190703001207/http://www.jadwa.com/en/directorssection/about-jadwa/board-of-directors|url-status=dead}}

On 14 January 2013, Faisal bin Salman was appointed governor of Madinah province at the rank of minister, replacing Abdulaziz bin Majid in the post.{{cite news|title=Prince Muqrin As I Have Known Him|access-date=26 March 2013|date=6 February 2013

|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Ayoon+Wa+Azan+(Prince+Muqrin+As+I+Have+Known+Him).-a0317738367|work=Dar Al Hayat International}} After his appointment as governor, Faisal bin Salman was succeeded by his half-brother, Turki bin Salman, as chairman of the SRMG.{{cite news|title=Prince Turki succeeds Prince Faisal as SRMG chairman|url=http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/prince-turki-succeeds-prince-faisal-srmg-chairman|access-date=9 February 2013|newspaper=Arab News|date=9 February 2013}} Prince Faisal's tenure as governor of Madinah province ended on 12 December 2023 when Salman bin Sultan Al Saud was named as the new governor with the rank of minister.{{cite news|title=King Salman issues royal decrees|url=https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/1691216

|access-date=13 December 2023|work=Argaam|date=12 December 2023}} Prince Faisal became an advisor to the king on the same date.

Other positions

Prince Faisal joined the council of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in 2009. He is also chairman of the board of social responsibility in Riyadh.{{cite web|title=Prince Faisal bin Salman opens exhibition on social responsibility|url=http://www.gulfinthemedia.com/index.php?m=gcc_press&id=2314598&cnt=171&lang=en&PHPSESSID=8|publisher=Gulf in the Media|access-date=30 April 2012|date=23 May 2011|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305175504/http://www.gulfinthemedia.com/index.php?cnt=171&id=2314598&lang=en&m=gcc_press&phpsessid=8|url-status=dead}} In addition, he chairs the executive committee of “Ensan Society” that deals with various support programs for orphans.{{cite web|title=Prince Faisal bin Salman Commends the MOH's Support for the Health Programs Adopted by "Insan Society"|url=http://www.moh.gov.sa/en/Ministry/MediaCenter/News/Pages/News-2012-05-05-001.aspx|publisher=Ministry of Health|access-date=18 May 2012|date=5 May 2012}}{{cite news|title=Ensan orphanage elects new 13-member board of directors|newspaper=Arab News

|url=http://www.arabnews.com/ensan-orphanage-elects-new-13-member-board-directors|access-date=29 July 2012|date=29 July 2012}}

Prince Faisal has been the chairman of King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives and the chairman of the board of trustees of the King Fahad National Library since 12 December 2023.

=Views=

Faisal bin Salman stated in 2007 that social change in Saudi Arabia had to be slow.{{cite news|title=Spotlight on the Saudi succession process|access-date=17 June 2012|work=Al Arabiya|agency=Reuters|url=http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/06/16/221019.html

|date=16 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616205951/http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/06/16/221019.html|archive-date=16 June 2012|url-status=dead}}

=Awards=

Faisal bin Salman was named "The Man of the Year 2004 in business" by Arabian Business in 2004.{{cite news|title=Prince Faisal bin Salman is Businessman of the Year 2004|url=http://www.arabianbusiness.com/prince-faisal-bin-salman-is-businessman-of-year-2004-64366.html|work=Arabian Business|access-date=30 April 2012|date=25 April 2005}} He was also named the Media Personality of the Year by the Arab Media Forum in 2009.{{cite web|title=Media personality of the year; AMF honours Saudi Prince Faisal|access-date=28 May 2012|url=http://www.mepa.cc/Pdf/en/mb_march2009.pdf|publisher=Middle East Publishers Association|year=2009}} He was awarded Hilal-e-Pakistan on 12 December 2023.{{cite news|author=Shumaila Andleeb|title=Pakistan confers Hilal-i-Pakistan on Madinah’s governor Prince Faisal bin Salman|work=Associated Press of Pakistan|date=13 December 2023|url=https://www.app.com.pk/global/pakistan-confers-hilal-i-pakistan-on-madinahs-governor-prince-faisal-bin-salman/|access-date=15 December 2023}}

=Horse racing=

His brothers Prince Fahd and Prince Ahmed, both deceased, were involved in thoroughbred horse racing. After the death of Prince Ahmed in 2002, Prince Faisal succeeded him as the head of The Thoroughbred Corporation.{{cite news|author=Kristin Ingwell Goode|title=Prince Faisal Salman to Head Thoroughbred Corporation|url=http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/10721/prince-faisal-salman-to-head-thoroughbred-corporation|access-date=19 April 2013|newspaper=Blood Horse|date=1 August 2002}} In addition, he owns Belgrave Bloodstock in England.{{cite web|title=Prince Faisal bin Salman|url=http://archive.breederscup.com/bio.aspx?id=21082|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130118115050/http://archive.breederscup.com/bio.aspx?id=21082|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 January 2013

|work=Breeders Cup|access-date=26 May 2012}}

In 2002, Faisal bin Salman had 12 horses in training, with Paul Cole, Sir Mark Prescott and John Gosden in England; Aidan O'Brien in Ireland; Jean-Claude Rouget in France; and Julio Canini and Graham Motion in the United States.{{cite news|author=David Lawrence|title=Faisal to step into the breach|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Faisal+to+step+into+the+breach.-a089955466|access-date=19 April 2013|newspaper=The Racing Post|date=1 August 2002|location=London}} It is reported that his best horse is Last Second, dam of Aussie Rules. She won both the Sun Chariot Stakes and Nassau Stakes in 1996. Prince Faisal also won the 1995 Cherry Hinton Stakes with another horse, Applaud. Last Second later became his most successful broodmare. He has his own stud, Denford Stud near Hungerford, Berkshire. His racing manager is James Wigan. In 2011, Central Park was Faisal's best juvenile.{{cite news|title=Horse races|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/%27If+racing+is+like+the+Grand+Prix+circuit%2C+we+are+into+Ferrari+buying...-a0295560450|access-date=24 June 2013|newspaper=The Racing Post|date=8 July 2012|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305042527/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/%27If+racing+is+like+the+Grand+Prix+circuit%2C+we+are+into+Ferrari+buying...-a0295560450|url-status=dead}}

Prince Faisal bred Aussie Rules in Kentucky and is racing him in cooperation with Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor. He had four mares boarded at Indian Creek Farm near Paris (Kentucky). The dam of Aussie Rules, Last Second, has had only one foal sell at public auction, Bold Glance, who went for $2,202,250 in October 2005. Belgrave also has kept several fillies out of Last Second, including stakes winner Approach. Other mares are kept at Chris Budgett's Kirtlington Stud in the United Kingdom.

Works

Iran, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf: Power Politics in Transition, 2003.{{Cite web |title=IRAN. SAUDI ARABIA AND THE GULF |url=https://vanguardbooks.com/book/iran-saudi-arabia-and-the-gulfpower-politics-in-transition-1968-1971/ |access-date=2024-09-12 |website=Vanguard Books |language=en-US}}

Ancestry

{{ahnentafel

|collapsed=yes |align=center

|ref={{cite web|title=Royal Family Directory|url=http://www.datarabia.com/royals/famtree.do?id=176834|website=www.datarabia.com|access-date=22 June 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160318050546/http://datarabia.com/royals/famtree.do?id=176834|archive-date=18 March 2016|df=dmy-all}}

|boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc;

|boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9;

|boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc;

|boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc;

|1=1. Faisal Al Saud

|2=2. Salman Al Saud

|3=3. Sultana bint Turki Al Sudairi

|4=4. Ibn Saud

|5=5. Hassa bint Ahmed Al Sudairi

|6=6. Turki bin Ahmed Al Sudairi

|8=8. Abdul Rahman bin Faisal

|9=9. Sara bint Ahmed Al Sudairi