Inside Saudi's business elite.

Merchant families dominate the business life of the Arabian Peninsula. As the Saudi economy expands and diversifies, many of the most established Saudi family firms have surfaced as key investors and partners of large, multinational firms seeking to do business in the kingdom.

Yet despite their age and elevated position, little is known about the true size of the merchant families' wealth and capital, as few have opted to go public.

MEED profiles the leading family businesses, based on interviews with Saudi experts, MEED research, and the information made available following the Saudi stock market's (Tadawul) decision to list holdings of more than 5 per cent in August this year.

This is not an exhaustive list of Saudi family firms, nor is it a list of the kingdom's wealthiest individual investors, which would obviously include members of the royal family such as Prince Alwaleed bin Talal al-Saud.

MEED profiles the activities of the elite Saudi family businesses, rather than individuals, their histories, main business interests, family members and recent changes to their businesses.