Middle East Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) today announced Walid Juffali as frontman for its home-grown Arabian entrepreneurial reality show, The Investor, coming to the MBC screen early in 2006. The prominent Saudi businessman, famous for his global vision, together with the Arab world's biggest broadcaster announced their collaboration to create a reality show that highlights real business opportunities for young entrepreneurs in the Middle East.
“The Investor” reflects MBC’s commitment to some of the most pressing issues in the region, and contributes positively to the ongoing efforts to release the potential of this region by giving its predominantly young population platforms and opportunities for nurturing and developing their entrepreneurship skills.
"MBC has sought to develop a programme that is not only culturally relevant but also gives voice to young idealists looking for that crucial first leg up in the Middle East business world," said Mohammed Al Mulhem, Director of Marketing, Public Relations, and Commercial. "We could not have asked for a more inspirational 'investor' to mentor and guide our contestants than Juffali"
Al Mulhem continued: "The Investor brings together 13 pairs of young, aspiring entrepreneurs – everywhere from Iraq, KSA and Morocco to Oman - and it will be up to them to convince Juffali they've got what it takes to make it in reality."
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Walid Juffali, Chairman of one of Saudi's most legendary houses, E. A. Juffali & Brothers, has been enjoying a successful professional life. He is also the Chairman of the Board, Saudi American Bank; Deputy Chairman of the Board, Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Honorary Consul-General for Her Majesty the Queen of Denmark; Chairman, The Help Centre, an Ahmed Juffali Charitable Foundation for Mentally Challenged Children; and Trustee member, International House, a Rockefeller Foundation
Juffali set up his own private business some years ago, separate to his family empire which helped build the Kingdom's infrastructure since the 1940s. The result has broken the traditional business mould. W Investments (UK) Limited, seeks investment opportunities for private clients with heavy emphasis on business prospects and the potential for developing products and markets. W Investments acts as a lead generator and monitors a variety of business sectors ranging from property, venture capital, supply chain and procurement, to media and entertainment.
"I strongly believe that thinking 'outside the box' will lead to innovations. It is essential to see beyond the successes of today and look at the big picture in business across the world. It is all about anticipating change and above all adapting," Juffali said.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a key member of the world bank, and through their Business Edge management training program, were selected to be involved in the evaluation of contestants and to aid in the decision making primarily done by Juffali to qualify and disqualify contestants from further rounds.
The MBC programme commissions real tasks that require creativity, imagination and vision as well as the all-important business instinct from its contestants. The MBC Group will announce more details about the programme soon.
MBC is the leading free-to-air, pan-Arab, news and entertainment broadcaster. MBC's guiding philosophy is to lead and innovate. Satellite transmission first started in September 1991, making MBC the first-ever, independent Arabic satellite TV station and a market leader, delivering news and quality, family entertainment programming to more than 130 million Arabic speaking people around the world. MBC is constantly building on its core strengths to add new dimensions in an ever changing and competitive world of broadcast in the Middle East.
