Mansour Al-Balawi

Mansour Al-Balawi, a distinguished businessman and poet, played an influential role in shaping Saudi Arabia’s cultural and sporting landscapes. Widely celebrated for his presidency of Jeddah’s Al-Ittihad Club, he was instrumental in positioning the club among the top hundred clubs globally. A successful entrepreneur in both local and international business circles, Al-Balawi has managed several prominent companies across diverse sectors including media, hospitality, and telecommunications. His poetic talents have also left a significant cultural mark in the Gulf region, offering renowned artists lyrical content for memorable regional hits.

Mansour Al-Balawi wrote lyrics under the name “Mansour Al-Shadi,” with acclaimed artists recording his compositions, including Mohammed Abdu’s famous song “Al-Amaken.”

Born in 1964 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Mansour earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics, setting the stage for a prosperous career in business. From the early stages of his professional life, he demonstrated a keen entrepreneurial spirit by building successful enterprises both within Saudi Arabia and internationally, eventually establishing himself as a significant figure in the Arab business community.

Mansour Al-Balawi is married, and has three sons and four daughters.

– During his tenure, Al-Ittihad Club was ranked among the world’s top 100 football clubs.

– Al-Balawi was the first Saudi club president who donated match-day revenues to the families of Saudi military martyrs.

– Under his presidency, Al-Ittihad Club won back-to-back AFC Champions League titles in 2004 and 2005.

Mansour Al-Balawi’s achievements span various fields, notably sports and culture. Beginning his journey in sports administration in 1993 as a board member at Al-Ittihad sports club, he advanced quickly to oversee its football team by 1995. After stepping aside temporarily, he returned to club leadership in 2002, eventually becoming president in 2003. His presidency witnessed unprecedented achievement as the club secured over 200 titles across various sports. Notably, Al-Balawi financially supported the club, reportedly investing nearly SAR 500 million.

His administration marked several firsts for Saudi sports:

– In 2001, Al-Ittihad basketball team became the first Saudi club to win the Asian Championship.

– Also in 2001, they competed in international basketball championships.

– Al-Ittihad was the first Saudi club to win the Saudi-Egyptian Super Cup against Ismaily Club in 2002.

– They claimed local titles including Crown Prince Cup, King Cup, and Arab Club Championship in subsequent years.

– He introduced medical insurance and established a fully-equipped media center at the club.

– Signed over thirty-five local and international football stars from elite clubs worldwide, such as Inter Milan, and from top Brazilian, Portuguese, Egyptian, and Moroccan teams.

Beyond sports, Al-Balawi maintained honorary memberships in renowned sports clubs, including Egypt’s prestigious club, Zamalek.

Culturally, his identity as poet “Mansour Al-Shadi” is acclaimed across the Gulf region, especially with music fans. His lyrical contributions to songs by Mohammed Abdu (“Al-Amaken”), Nawal Al-Kuwaitia, Rabih Saqr, and Hussein Al-Jassmi stand as testament to his artistic talent.

Contributing further to Saudi cultural understanding, Al-Balawi released a book titled “Ana wal Ittihad” (“I and Al-Ittihad”), documenting his journey with the club. Businesswise, he leads or manages several entities such as SAB holding company, Lingo, SAB Media, and multiple hospitality facilities including Mövenpick and Crystal resorts in Egypt’s Sharm El Sheikh. Al-Balawi’s business profile diversified further through involvement in the retail and telecommunications sectors.

In November 2007, Mansour Al-Balawi resigned unexpectedly from his role as Al-Ittihad Club president. Recently, he was among those briefly detained during anti-corruption inquiries in Saudi Arabia, without any substantial charges publicly declared against him.