A Pitch to Remember

The Day I pitched to His Royal Highness Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

The first time I had the honour of meeting HRH Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was shortly after I joined FP7 McCann in Riyadh as Associate Creative Director.

We were preparing to pitch a brand campaign for Kingdom Holding Company. I joined our Country Manager, Mr Antonio Boulos, our Account Director, Mr Marc Lawandos, and a few colleagues as we headed to their headquarters in Kingdom Tower, in the al-Olaya district of Riyadh — fully briefed, fully rehearsed, and undeniably excited.

What struck me first, even before entering the boardroom, wasn’t the opulence you might expect, but an entire wall in the reception area — completely covered with logos and brand names from around the world: Citigroup USA Inc., Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris, Apple, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts… a powerful visual summary of Kingdom Holding’s global footprint.

Before the meeting, we received a detailed protocol briefing. We were instructed not to address His Royal Highness directly, but to present to his advisory committee, seated across from us. When His Royal Highness entered the room, the atmosphere shifted immediately.

His Royal Highness sat behind an array of monitors — live stock feeds from various markets, international news running quietly on one screen, and our deck on the main display. And yet, despite the data streams surrounding him, he was fully present. He asked sharp questions, offered insightful observations, and delivered precise feedback. It was clear: we had his full attention — even if it was being shared with four continents and ten asset classes.

Then came my part of the pitch: a demo TVC set to a bold international soundtrack. At the time, I thought it gave the campaign a sharp, global edge — something that aligned with Kingdom Holding’s global investment portfolio.

But His Royal Highness, with a knowing smile, expressed a preference for something more culturally rooted — more traditionally Saudi.

In hindsight, the soundtrack wasn’t the issue. The real miscalculation was placing the brand’s global identity above its cultural foundations. Kingdom Holding is, after all, a Saudi company — one that expands, invests, and supports ventures around the world, but proudly from its home base.

I had only been in the Middle East a few weeks, and while my strategic intent was sound, I hadn’t yet learned the deeper nuance: great creative does not just reflect where a brand is going — it also honours where it comes from.

That’s even more true in a culture as rooted in tradition as Saudi Arabia.

That moment stayed with me — not as a misstep, but as a meaningful lesson in cultural intelligence. It is a lesson I have carried into every boardroom and briefing since — shaping how I approach each cross-cultural brief: with curiosity, context, and respect.