Ninety One Appoints Dr. Khalid Alsweilem as Chairman of New Saudi Arabian Entity

Ninety One Appoints Dr. Khalid Alsweilem as Chairman of New Saudi Arabian Entity
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Ninety One Appoints Dr. Khalid Alsweilem as Chairman of New Saudi Arabian Entity

Ninety One Appoints Dr. Khalid Alsweilem as Chairman of New Saudi Arabian Entity

Ninety One has announced the appointment of Dr. Khalid Alsweilem to the position of Chief Global Sovereign Funds Advisor and Chairman of the firm's new Saudi Arabian entity, which is currently under formation and subject to approval from the Saudi Arabia Capital Market Authority.

"I am pleased to be taking on this role to help steer and develop Ninety One's business in Saudi Arabia and Middle East more broadly,” said Alsweilem said.

“This is a time of great transformation and opportunity for the region as Saudi Arabia implements its Vision 2030 program. As a global investment manager with expertise in emerging market equities, natural resources, Asia and Mainland China equities, energy transition and infrastructure debt, Ninety One is well positioned to capitalize on the major economic developments taking place throughout the region. Their roots in emerging markets give them a keen sensitivity to how investment capabilities should serve Saudi Arabia and the region's needs."

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ninety One Hendrik du Toit described Alsweilem as “the right person to help guide our growth in Saudi Arabia and the region, given his unique knowledge of the investment industry and environment.”

“Ninety One has had an active presence as an investor of international capital in the region for many years and is experienced in developing investment businesses with local relevance. The creation of a formal entity in Saudi Arabia is our next step in a productive journey to even greater engagement and service of clients."

Alsweilem is a world-renowned expert on sovereign wealth funds and their connection to the real economy. He is one of the longest-serving and most successful sovereign fund practitioners, having previously served as ChiefCounsellor and Director General of Investment at SAMA, the Central Bank of Saudi Arabia, where he held senior positions since 1991. He is a Visiting Scholar at the Stanford Centre of Sustainable Development and Global Competitiveness and at the Stanford Long-Term Investing Initiative, as well as a non-resident scholar at MIT Golub Center for Finance and Policy.

Prior to that, he was a scholar at Stanford Global Projects Center and a fellow expert at Harvard Kennedy School, where he was the lead author on major sovereign funds research and publications. He is an engineer and holds a PhD in Economics and a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Harvard University.

Ninety One is an active, global investment manager listed in London and Johannesburg with more than $160 billion in assets under management (as at 31 March 2023). The firm's goal is to provide long-term investment returns for clients while making a positive difference to people and the planet.

Established in South Africa in 1991 as Investec Asset Management, the firm has since expanded to 21 offices in 14 countries across five continents, with 258 investment professionals. In 2020, the firm demerged from the Investec Group to become Ninety One.



Oil Extends Climb on Supply Fears, Trade War Concerns Cap Gains

FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
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Oil Extends Climb on Supply Fears, Trade War Concerns Cap Gains

FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)

Oil prices inched higher on Tuesday after threats by US President Donald Trump to impose secondary tariffs on Russian crude and attack Iran, though worries about the impact of a trade war on global growth capped gains.

Brent futures rose 21 cents, or 0.3%, to $74.98 a barrel at 0645 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures climbed 22 cents, or 0.3%, to $71.70.

The contracts settled at five-week highs a day earlier.

"Near-term risks are skewed to the upside, with US threats of secondary tariffs on Russian and Iranian oil leading market participants to price for the risks of tighter oil supplies," said Yeap Jun Rong, market strategist at IG, Reuters reported.

However, broader themes still revolve around concerns of upcoming tariffs weighing on global demand, along with prospects of increased supply from OPEC+ and the US, said Yeap.

A Reuters poll of 49 economists and analysts in March projected that oil prices would remain under pressure this year from US tariffs and economic slowdowns in India and China, while OPEC+ increases supply.

Slower global growth would dent fuel demand, which might offset any reduction in supply due to Trump's threats.

After news of Trump's threats initially boosted prices on Monday, traders told Reuters they viewed the president's warnings to Russia, at least, as a bluff.

Trump, on Sunday, told NBC News that he was very angry with Russian President Vladimir Putin and would impose secondary tariffs of 25% to 50% on Russian oil buyers if Moscow tries to block efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

Tariffs on buyers of oil from Russia, the world's second largest oil exporter, would disrupt global supply and hurt Moscow's biggest customers, China and India.

Trump also threatened Iran with similar tariffs and bombings if Tehran did not reach an agreement with the White House over its nuclear program.

"For now, it appears to be just a threat to Russia and Iran. However, if it becomes a reality, it creates plenty of upside risk to the market given the significant oil export volumes from both countries," said ING commodities strategists on Tuesday.

The market will be watching for weekly inventory data from US industry group the American Petroleum Institute later on Tuesday, ahead of official statistics from the Energy Information Administration on Wednesday.

Five analysts surveyed by Reuters estimated on average that US crude inventories fell by about 2.1 million barrels in the week to March 28.