Top seven Mideast-focused panels at Davos

Over 3,000 political, business and civil leaders are gathering in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. (WEF)
Updated 22 January 2019
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Top seven Mideast-focused panels at Davos

  • A sizeable delegation from Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East are in attendance
  • Several panels focusing on the region will be held during the four-day event;

DAVOS: Over 3,000 political, business and civil leaders are gathering in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting — including a sizeable delegation from Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East.
Several panels focusing on the region will be held during the four-day event; here are seven that caught our eye.
Follow the latest news, views and analysis from Davos here...

Tuesday, 5:45 p.m. — Strategic Outlook on the Middle East
A look at how regional leaders can unlock the full potential of its next generation of entrepreneurs and workers. Speakers include Mohammed Al-Tuwaijri, Saudi Arabia’s minister of economy and planning.

Wednesday, 10 a.m. — An Insight, An Idea with Haifaa Al-Mansour
Saudi Arabia’s first female filmmaker and Crystal Award winner is due to speak about her dedication to breaking boundaries and shaping new stories.

Wednesday, 12 noon — The New Energy Equation
A panel on strategic shifts in energy cooperation and markets; speakers include Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih.

Wednesday, 2:30 p.m. — The Future of Science and Technology in Society
Sarah Al-Amiri, UAE minister for advanced sciences, is one of the speakers on this panel about how science and technology is reshaping politics, business and public policy.

Thursday, 9:15 a.m. — Next Steps for Saudi Arabia
Al-Tuwaijri, Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan, and Tadawul Chairperson Sarah Al-Suhaimi are the Saudi speakers on this panel about the Kingdom’s reform plans.

Thursday, 1 p.m. — Asia’s Bet on the Middle East
This panel on the shifting relations between the two regions includes Iraqi Finance Minister Fuad Hussein as a speaker.

Thursday 1:30 p.m. — A Conversation with Omar Al-Razzaz, Prime Minister of Jordan
The Jordanian PM is set to speak to CNBC’s Hadley Gamble.

 


No Saudi acquisition offers: FC Barcelona tells Al-Eqtisadiah

Updated 16 December 2025
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No Saudi acquisition offers: FC Barcelona tells Al-Eqtisadiah

CAIRO: FC Barcelona has not received any offers, whether from Saudi Arabia or elsewhere, to acquire the club, according to an official source who spoke to Al-Eqtisadiah.

According to the source, the circulating news regarding the possibility of finalizing a deal to acquire the club in the coming period is a mere rumor.

Recent Spanish reports had indicated the possibility of a Saudi acquisition of Barcelona shares for around €10 billion ($11.7 billion), a move considered capable of saving the club from its financial crises if it were to happen, especially as it suffers from debts estimated at around €2.5 billion.

Sale not in management’s hands

Joan Gaspart, the former president of the club, confirmed that the current board of directors, chaired by Joan Laporta, does not have the right to dispose of the club’s ownership.

He added: “FC Barcelona is owned by about 150,000 members, and selling the club is something the owners will not accept. FC Barcelona possesses something no other club in the world has; money is very important, and so is passion, but the sentiment of the members today is to continue what the club has been for 125 years.”

High market value

Despite the financial crisis the club has been going through in recent years, FC Barcelona ranks sixth on the list of the world’s highest market value clubs, with an estimated value of €1.12 billion, according to Transfermarkt. Meanwhile, its rival Real Madrid tops the list with a market value of €1.38 billion.