Adnan Khashoggi
Saudi arms dealer and intermediary known for extravagant wealth.
Roland Godefroy · CC BY 3.0
Adnan Khashoggi was a Saudi businessman and arms dealer known for his business dealings, extensive geopolitical influence, and opulent lifestyle. During his peak in the early 1980s, his net worth was estimated at around $4 billion, amassed through his pivotal role as an intermediary between Western defense companies and the Saudi government.
- died
- 6 June 2017, London
- field
- Business, arms dealing
- nationality
- Saudi
- known_for
- Arms brokerage, lavish lifestyle, founder of Triad International Holding Company
Lore & Background
In the 1960s and 1970s, Khashoggi helped bring together Western companies and the Saudi government for infrastructure and defense needs. He established companies in Switzerland and Liechtenstein to handle commissions and developed contacts with CIA officers and U.S. Khashoggi headed Triad International Holding Company, named after himself and his two brothers, Essam and Adil.
Reader's Guide
His commissions, reaching up to 15%, made him enormously wealthy and influential, with a net worth of $4 billion at his peak. He pioneered the use of Swiss and Liechtenstein companies to manage his commissions, and his connections extended to U.S. presidents and intelligence officers. His opulent lifestyle, including a world-record yacht and extravagant parties, made him a media fixture and inspired popular culture, influencing songs by Queen and appearing in shows like Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.
Did You Know?
- His yacht, the Nabila, was the largest in the world at the time and appeared in the James Bond film Never Say Never Again.
Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Adnan Khashoggi?
Adnan Khashoggi was a Saudi Arabian businessman and arms dealer who operated as a key intermediary linking Western defense firms to the Saudi government. He founded Triad International Holding Company and became one of the most recognizable figures in global arms brokerage during the 1970s and 1980s.
How did Adnan Khashoggi build his fortune?
His wealth came primarily from brokering weapons deals between Western manufacturers and the Saudi state, acting as the essential middleman in those transactions. At his peak in the early 1980s, his net worth was estimated at roughly four billion dollars.
What nickname was Adnan Khashoggi known by?
He was widely called 'The Great Gatsby of the Middle East' because of his extraordinarily lavish lifestyle and the sheer scale of his personal wealth, which set him apart even among the region's elite.
When and where was Adnan Khashoggi born and did he die?
He was born on 25 July 1935 in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and passed away on 6 June 2017 in London. His life spanned more than eight decades, taking in the rise and fall of his arms-brokering empire.
Why is Adnan Khashoggi considered important in business history?
He demonstrated how a single individual could wield significant geopolitical leverage by sitting at the intersection of defense industry profits and state security needs. His story remains a frequently cited case study in the intersection of commerce, politics, and arms trade.
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