Endowment / Foundation

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Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz Alrajhi Holding Company

Founded in 2011, Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz Alrajhi Holding Company serves as the professional investment arm for Waqf Sulaiman Alrajhi. The endowment was...

Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz Alrajhi Holding Company logo

Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz Alrajhi Holding Company

Founded in 2011, Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz Alrajhi Holding Company serves as the professional investment arm for Waqf Sulaiman Alrajhi. The endowment was established by Shaikh Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz Alrajhi, who co-founded Al Rajhi Bank and later dedicated his personal wealth to philanthropy. Chairman Ihsan Bafakih, former Governor of the General Authority for State Real Estate, brings deep public-sector real estate experience to the governance structure. The firm deploys capital across three primary asset classes: commercial real estate, hospitality, and agriculture. Known hospitality holdings include the Crowne Plaza Al Khobar, Crowne Plaza Madinah, and Park Inn by Radisson Makkah, concentrated in Saudi Arabia's key commercial and religious tourism corridors. The portfolio also contains agricultural land and crop operations. The holding company draws its investment mandate from the Waqf's perpetual structure, prioritizing income-generating assets that fund the Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz Al Rajhi Charitable Foundation. The organization operates from Riyadh and participates in cross-border dialogue through the Azerbaijan-Saudi Arabia Business Council. Recent operational details and total deployment figures are not publicly disclosed. The Al Rajhi family remains influential in Saudi Arabia's financial landscape through Al Rajhi Bank, though the holding company operates independently as the endowment's fiduciary. The structural differentiator is the Waqf architecture itself: an irrevocable charitable endowment that permanently separates the Alrajhi wealth from individual family control. This creates a time-horizon advantage uncommon among regional family offices, where multi-generational succession often fragments investment mandates. The holding company functions as a steady-state allocator rather than a wealth-preservation vehicle, with all returns flowing to the charitable foundation rather than to beneficiaries.

General information

Firm type

Endowment / Foundation

Year founded

2011

AUM

SAR 40B

Location

Region

Middle East

Country

Saudi Arabia

City

Riyadh

Corporate office

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Principals

Shaikh Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz Alrajhi

Founder

Ihsan Bafakih

Chairman

Haitham Mohammed AlFayez

CEO

Sector focus

Real EstateFinancial InstrumentsDirect Investment

Frequently asked questions

Who makes investment decisions at Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz Alrajhi Holding Company?

CEO Haitham Mohammed AlFayez leads the holding company's investment activities, reporting to Chairman Ihsan Bafakih. The governance structure operates under the Waqf Sulaiman Alrajhi framework, with the ultimate beneficiaries being the charitable programs of the Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz Al Rajhi Charitable Foundation.

What is the relationship between the holding company and Al Rajhi Bank?

Shaikh Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz Alrajhi co-founded Al Rajhi Bank, which remains influential in Saudi Arabia's financial sector. However, the holding company is a separate entity established to manage the endowed assets of Waqf Sulaiman Alrajhi and does not directly hold or manage Al Rajhi Bank shares as part of its disclosed portfolio.

How does the Waqf structure affect the holding company's investment strategy?

As a Waqf, the capital base is perpetual and irrevocable, which eliminates redemption pressures and allows the holding company to hold income-generating real estate, hospitality, and agricultural assets indefinitely. All returns flow to the charitable foundation rather than to individual family members, creating a mandate centered on steady, long-term income rather than wealth accumulation.

Does the firm invest outside of Saudi Arabia?

The holding company participates in the Azerbaijan-Saudi Arabia Business Council, indicating some cross-border engagement. However, publicly disclosed portfolio assets — including three Saudi hotels and agricultural land — are concentrated within Saudi Arabia. No international direct investments have been publicly confirmed.

What role does the Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz Al Rajhi Charitable Foundation play?

The charitable foundation is the recipient of returns generated by the holding company's investments, channeling Waqf income into philanthropic programs aligned with Shaikh Alrajhi's vision. The foundation operates separately from the holding company's investment function, with the holding company acting purely as the endowment's asset manager.

Profile maintained by using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.

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