Softbank does the maths over Jamal Kashoggi’s murder
Saudi’s Public Investment Fund is the largest investor in SoftBank’s $100bn Vision Fund — but should investors accept Saudi money anymore?
Tokyo — With the growing backlash against Saudi Arabia over the murder of government critic Jamal Khashoggi, SoftBank Group faces tough decisions in its relationship with the kingdom. Founder Masayoshi Son has had particularly close ties to Saudi Arabia ever since now-Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman agreed to make Saudi’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) the largest investor in SoftBank’s $100bn Vision Fund. That fund is now the cornerstone of SoftBank as Son uses the cash to take major stakes in tech companies such as Uber and WeWork. But the brutal killing has set off a debate over refusing Saudi investment money. Chris Lane, an analyst at Sanford C Bernstein, has begun to work through the worst case scenarios for SoftBank and its relationship with the Saudis. He thinks it’s likely the collaboration will continue — but says it’s also possible it will end altogether. “As the shocking news regarding the death of Jamal Khashoggi has come to light, we expect a backlash against companies ...
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