Waleed Al-Ibrahim is a Saudi Arabian businessman and chairman of Middle East Broadcasting Center (MBC), the region’s most prominent TV broadcaster.

On Tuesday, Al-Ibrahim visited the Dubai headquarters of his MBC television empire for the first time since being cleared of any wrongdoing after being held at Riyadh’s Ritz-Carlton hotel during Saudi Arabia’s anti-corruption campaign. In Dubai, he chaired a strategy meeting with more than 100 top executives and laid out future growth plans, pledging a greater focus and emphasis on Saudi Arabia and neighboring markets.

“With leadership, excellence, determination, and cultural relevance, there is no limit to our ambitions. We look ahead for greater achievements, as we confidently expand our plans,” Al-Ibrahim said. 

After completing his university and higher education in the US, Al-Ibrahim founded ARA Productions and Television Studios (ARAvision) in Saudi Arabia. It was his first media enterprise. 

He founded MBC in London in 1991 with fellow business entrepreneur Saleh Kamel, and it became the first independent Arabic satellite TV station. In 1992, MBC acquired United Press International, a bankrupt news agency at the time, for $3.95 million, bolstering its news-gathering scope.

Al-Ibrahim has received numerous awards for his contributions in the field of Arab media. He was chosen as the 27th most influential Arab among 100 Arab personalities by Arabian Business in 2007. 

He was also named Media Man of the Year at the 4th MENA Cristal Awards held in Lebanon in 2008. 

Other awards include the Knight award from the Arab League in 2006 and the Innovator of the Year award from Arabian Business, as well as being named the world’s 24th most influential Arab among 500 others in 2012.