Saudisation at the PIF: From Bold Vision to Sustainable Ownership If the Financial Times report is accurate, the Public Investment Fund’s decision to replace several foreign CEOs with Saudi executives is both welcome and strategically sound. Foreign expertise played a vital role in launching Vision 2030’s ambitious projects, but national talent is now better equipped to implement, sustain, and adapt them for the long term. A particularly important advantage is social accountability. Saudi leaders are deeply embedded in the Kingdom’s society and values. They are subject to informal social repercussions such as community expectations and reputational pressure that naturally reinforce alignment with national priorities in ways foreign executives often cannot fully internalise. As I argued in my Arab News article, “The Saudi Narrative: A Nation Writing Its Own Future,” Vision 2030 is not about reinventing Saudi Arabia but restoring its natural place in the world. This historic transformation demands primary reliance on Saudi citizens. By empowering domestic leadership, the Kingdom strengthens authenticity and ownership in its dual narrative battle: dismantling outdated stereotypes while advancing responsible reform and regional stability. True transformation succeeds when a nation leads its own story. #Vision2030 #SaudiNarrative @FT @ahmed @NicolasParasie @cornishft

Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Khaled has become a growing force in global dealmaking and diplomacy as he readies to take over. Read more here: ft.trib.al/8Sm6vG5

US Drive-By Diplomacy ⬇️⬇️

Donald Trump’s Board of Peace fund is empty ft.com/content/5ba3bd2c-0e0e… via @ft

While no official Saudi source confirmed the FT story yet, this is very much aligned with the thinking in #Riyadh 👇

RT @emile_hokayem: On Saudi-UAE tensions: Me: “For a few weeks the [Saudi-UAE] tensions were more suppressed because the war was the focu…

Why the UAE asked Pakistan for its $3.5bn back ~ @humza_jilani & @cornishft A sobering assessment in the @FT of Pakistan’s external sector outlook: assumptions linking strategic alignment with the Gulf to predictable investment flows appear increasingly tenuous. “The mutual defence pact had raised hopes… But… Riyadh… has so far shown limited appetite…” ft.com/content/99073d6e-4b57…

I told @ft on Gen Munir and Pakistan’s delicate mediating role: In Tehran, they would have given him [Munir] a difficult time, and questioned why he was pushing so hard for mediation — was it genuine or was he part of a ruse to get them to bring their guard down. Pakistanis are serious interlocutors, but what they can’t deliver is any guarantees on Trump’s behavior. They can’t say we promise the US won’t do A, B, C. And there’s nothing Munir can do about that. ft.com/content/eb2215d1-df7f… via @ft

Just pointing out that I broke the story 7 months ago that Mandelson failed vetting from the security services and put it to Downing Street...so the idea that Downing Street only found out on Tuesday is complete nonsense. independent.co.uk/news/uk/po…

RT @rassam_hossein: @HamidRezaAz Iran’s leadership style is one of consensus and coordination in a relatively unique style. Mojtaba Khamene…

Donald Trump admits to posting the “Christ-like” image of himself… but says he was portraying himself as a Doctor! And the “fake news media” is to blame for the Jesus narrative.

The US-Iran backchannel is open despite talks in Islamabad failing to secure a deal. Iran is discussing "technical" details of US vice president JD Vance's "final and best offer" ceasefire extension with Pakistani intermediaries. w/@cornishft @ak_mack ft.com/content/be392d6d-3db3…

The 10 minutes that set Lebanon ablaze ft.com/content/5501d347-cc84… via @ft

I went to school with this person. He lost his parents in the massive wave of Israeli strikes on #Lebanon yesterday. They are not Hezbollah, nor are they fans. They are civilians. A sample of many suffering the horror of a war they never wanted. RIP ❤️‍🩹

Inside Tehran, a city under attack ft.com/content/f5e9f184-50bf… via @ft

It's a bridge. By that justification, every highway in Iran is a target. This is a stupid thing to do, even if there is a tactical argument people can make.

DATED BRENT OIL PRICE SOARS TO $141 A BARREL, HIGHEST SINCE 2008

Iran war is the greatest threat to global energy ‘in history’, warns IEA ft.com/content/09524a74-db3c… via @ft

Could the US really release more of its strategic oil reserves? ft.com/content/2b002c54-1f05… via @ft

From the amazing @Najmeh_Tehran on life under bombardment in Iran: Rituals of survival in Tehran ft.com/content/a2b3dcbf-9fec… via @ft