Quick Facts
Biography
Kamal Bahamdan (born 12 February 1970) is a Saudi Arabian businessman and equestrian.
Early life
Born in Riyadh, after attending high school he graduated in 1994 from Boston University with a Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Engineering.
Career
He is CEO and Vice-Chairman of the Bahamdan Group, established in the 1940s by his grandfather Salem Bahamdan in Makkah. It was incorporated in the 1950s in Riyadh by his father Abdullah Bahamdan the former MD and Chairman of the National Commercial Bank (NCB) of Saudi Arabia, which was at the time the Arab world's largest bank. Since foundation, the Group has made more than 250 investments in a range of markets and sectors across the Middle East, Europe, Asia and the United States. With his father now acting as Chairman, under Kamal's management the Group expanded its investment operations, and presently has investments in over 130 companies employing over 8,000 people.
In 2009, Bahamdan, with the backing of the Bahamdan Group, formed the global principal investment firm Safanad Limited in Geneva, of which he is also the CEO. Now based in New York City and Dubai, the structure is described as a hybrid of a family office, asset manager and endowment and invests in real estate, private equity and public markets. Safanad’s investment focus is primarily within the healthcare, education, financial services and retail sectors and the firm uses a proprietary "Weather Map" approach based on quantitative analysis. This Weather Map helps identify opportunities across global markets that arise when tax rates, government spending, and regulations change.
In March 2014, Safanad and Formation Capital sold a portfolio of 43 senior housing facilities and 37 skilled nursing facilities to NorthStar Realty for $1.05Bn.
In June 2014, Safanad and Ron Packard, education company K12 Inc. founder and former CEO, announced the launch of a new education company, Pansophic Learning, whose aim is to provide access to high quality education for every student globally including technology based education solutions. Upon establishment, the company immediately acquired from K12 Inc. several assets including licenses to curriculum and technology, an international brick and mortar private school, a higher education platform business and the K12 business in the Middle East. P
Bahamdan is also co-founder of the Al-Khabeer Merchant Finance Corporation (est.2007), and was Managing Partner and co-founder of Washington DC-based international investment firm BV Group (est. 1995). In 2012 he was awarded the King Abdulaziz Order of Merit First Class and in 2006 was named a Forum of Young Global Leaders in business by the Forum of Young Global Leaders, an affiliate organisation of the World Economic Forum.
Show jumping
Bahamdan is also a sports champion.
Riding since the age of seven, he took further riding lessons in the United Kingdom every summer, and then started competing in local equestrian events, often against compatriots Ramzy Al-Duhami and Khaled Al-Eid. Whilst studying then working in finance in the United States he competed on the East Coast circuit, where he came to the attention of Ziyad Abduljawad, now managing director of Saudi Equestrian. In 2004, he moved his riding base to Valkenswaard, Netherlands, making his international competition debut in the same year, but competing only on a part-time basis.
After winning the team and individual gold at the 2004 Pan Arab Games, he won the team gold and individual silver medal at the 2011 Pan Arab Games in Doha. Having competed at the Summer Olympics in 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, after the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, he decided to concentrate full-time in the lead-up to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England, working with Jan Tops. With the Saudi team coached by Stanny Van Paesschen, the team won bronze and Bahamdan came fourth in the individual event. He has since entered the Longines-sponsored Global Champions Tour, winning the 2013 Riyadh Grand Prix with Noblesse des Tess.
In 2013 he was appointed to the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) Jumping committee, for an initial four-year period. In February 2014 he was named runner up in the Arriyadiyah Awards for Sports Excellence, presented by Prince Nawaf bin Faisal.