Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 56 minutes ago
The West once bought oil from the Gulf. Now, Gulf money is buying pieces of the West.
From Harrods and The Shard in London, to Heathrow Airport, Newcastle United, Electronic Arts, gaming, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, and global infrastructure, Gulf sovereign wealth funds are becoming some of the most powerful investors in the world.
Narrated by
Tom McKay
instagram.com/tmckay715
youtube.com/@UC8blX3YnHDG9e9_E9KjPK6g
Inquiries: behindasian@gmail.com
Brought to you by the Behind Asian Team.
Source(s):
Sources:
Reuters - Qatar investor buys UK department store Harrods
reuters.com/article/business/qatar-investor-buys-uk-department-store-harrods-idUSTRE6470V5
Reuters - Qatar’s investments in Britain: Barclays, Sainsbury’s, Harrods, Heathrow, Canary Wharf and The Shard
reuters.com/article/world/factbox-qatars-investments-in-britain-barclays-sainsburys-harrods-and-iag-idUSKBN20D1EC
The Guardian - How Qatar bought up Britain
theguardian.com/business/ng-interactive/2022/nov/05/how-qatar-bought-up-britain
Qatar Investment Authority - About QIA
https://www.qia.qa/en/about/pages/default.aspx
International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds
ifswf.org/what-is-a-sovereign-wealth-fund
Global SWF - 2025 Global SWF Annual Report
globalswf.com/reports/2025gsr
Saudi Vision 2030 - Official Overview
https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/en/overview
Public Investment Fund - Official Website
https://www.pif.gov.sa/en/
Reuters - Saudi wealth fund’s Savvy Games Group to invest $37.8 billion
reuters.com/world/middle-east/saudi-wealth-funds-savvy-games-group-invest-378-billion-2022-09-29
Electronic Arts - EA announces agreement to be acquired by PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners for $55 billion
ir.ea.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2025/EA-Announces-Agreement-to-be-Acquired-by-PIF-Silver-Lake-and-Affinity-Partners-for-55-Billion/default.aspx
Reuters - Electronic Arts to go private in record $55 billion leveraged buyout
reuters.com/business/media-telecom/electronic-arts-go-private-55-billion-deal-with-pif-silver-lake-2025-09-29
Investopedia - Leveraged Buyout explanation
investopedia.com/terms/l/leveragedbuyout.asp
Newcastle United - PIF, PCP Capital Partners and RB Sports & Media acquire Newcastle United
newcastleunited.com/en/news/pif-pcp-capital-partners-and-rb-sports-media-acquire-newcastle-united-football-club
Premier League - Statement on Newcastle United takeover
premierleague.com/en/news/2283712
Amnesty International - Saudi-backed Newcastle United bid and sportswashing concerns
https://www.amnesty.org.au/saudi-backed-bid-for-newcastle-united-must-prompt-football-ownership-rule-changes/
PGA Tour - PGA Tour, DP World Tour and PIF announce agreement to unify golf
pgatour.com/article/news/latest/2023/06/06/pga-tour-dp-world-tour-and-pif-announce-newly-formed--commercial-entity-to-unify-golf
Reuters - PGA Tour and LIV Golf announce agreement
reuters.com/sports/golf/pga-tour-european-tour-liv-golf-announce-merger-2023-06-06
Heathrow - About Heathrow and ownership structure
heathrow.com/company/about-heathrow
Public Investment Fund - PIF completes acquisition of approximately 15% stake in Heathrow
https://www.pif.gov.sa/en/news-and-insights/press-releases/2024/pif-completes-its-acquisition-of-15-stake-in-heathrow-airport/
Federal Reserve Bank of New York - Recycling Petrodollars
newyorkfed.org/research/current_issues/ci12-9.html
IMF - Petrodollar Recycling and Global Imbalances
imf.org/en/news/articles/2015/09/28/04/53/sp032306a
U.S. Treasury - Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States
home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/international/the-committee-on-foreign-investment-in-the-united-states-cfius
European Council - Foreign direct investment screening agreement
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2025/12/11/foreign-direct-investment-council-and-parliament-reached-political-agreement-to-improve-fdi-screening/
Companies House / GOV.UK - Register of Overseas Entities
gov.uk/government/collections/register-of-overseas-entities
Transparency International UK - Secret property ownership in England and Wales
transparency.org.uk/news/trust-issues-tackling-final-frontier-secret-property-ownership
IEA - World Energy Outlook 2025
iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2025
PIF - Lucid Motors investment
https://www.pif.gov.sa/en/news-and-insights/press-releases/2018/lucid-motors/
NEOM - Green Hydrogen Company financial close
neom.com/en-us/newsroom/neom-green-hydrogen-investment
Mubadala - Abu Dhabi launches global investment strategy on artificial intelligence
mubadala.com/en/news/abu-dhabi-launches-comprehensive-global-investment-strategy-on-artificial-intelligence
The West once bought oil from the Gulf. Now, Gulf money is buying pieces of the West.
From Harrods and The Shard in London, to Heathrow Airport, Newcastle United, Electronic Arts, gaming, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, and global infrastructure, Gulf sovereign wealth funds are becoming some of the most powerful investors in the world.
Narrated by
Tom McKay
instagram.com/tmckay715
youtube.com/@UC8blX3YnHDG9e9_E9KjPK6g
Inquiries: behindasian@gmail.com
Brought to you by the Behind Asian Team.
Source(s):
Sources:
Reuters - Qatar investor buys UK department store Harrods
reuters.com/article/business/qatar-investor-buys-uk-department-store-harrods-idUSTRE6470V5
Reuters - Qatar’s investments in Britain: Barclays, Sainsbury’s, Harrods, Heathrow, Canary Wharf and The Shard
reuters.com/article/world/factbox-qatars-investments-in-britain-barclays-sainsburys-harrods-and-iag-idUSKBN20D1EC
The Guardian - How Qatar bought up Britain
theguardian.com/business/ng-interactive/2022/nov/05/how-qatar-bought-up-britain
Qatar Investment Authority - About QIA
https://www.qia.qa/en/about/pages/default.aspx
International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds
ifswf.org/what-is-a-sovereign-wealth-fund
Global SWF - 2025 Global SWF Annual Report
globalswf.com/reports/2025gsr
Saudi Vision 2030 - Official Overview
https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/en/overview
Public Investment Fund - Official Website
https://www.pif.gov.sa/en/
Reuters - Saudi wealth fund’s Savvy Games Group to invest $37.8 billion
reuters.com/world/middle-east/saudi-wealth-funds-savvy-games-group-invest-378-billion-2022-09-29
Electronic Arts - EA announces agreement to be acquired by PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners for $55 billion
ir.ea.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2025/EA-Announces-Agreement-to-be-Acquired-by-PIF-Silver-Lake-and-Affinity-Partners-for-55-Billion/default.aspx
Reuters - Electronic Arts to go private in record $55 billion leveraged buyout
reuters.com/business/media-telecom/electronic-arts-go-private-55-billion-deal-with-pif-silver-lake-2025-09-29
Investopedia - Leveraged Buyout explanation
investopedia.com/terms/l/leveragedbuyout.asp
Newcastle United - PIF, PCP Capital Partners and RB Sports & Media acquire Newcastle United
newcastleunited.com/en/news/pif-pcp-capital-partners-and-rb-sports-media-acquire-newcastle-united-football-club
Premier League - Statement on Newcastle United takeover
premierleague.com/en/news/2283712
Amnesty International - Saudi-backed Newcastle United bid and sportswashing concerns
https://www.amnesty.org.au/saudi-backed-bid-for-newcastle-united-must-prompt-football-ownership-rule-changes/
PGA Tour - PGA Tour, DP World Tour and PIF announce agreement to unify golf
pgatour.com/article/news/latest/2023/06/06/pga-tour-dp-world-tour-and-pif-announce-newly-formed--commercial-entity-to-unify-golf
Reuters - PGA Tour and LIV Golf announce agreement
reuters.com/sports/golf/pga-tour-european-tour-liv-golf-announce-merger-2023-06-06
Heathrow - About Heathrow and ownership structure
heathrow.com/company/about-heathrow
Public Investment Fund - PIF completes acquisition of approximately 15% stake in Heathrow
https://www.pif.gov.sa/en/news-and-insights/press-releases/2024/pif-completes-its-acquisition-of-15-stake-in-heathrow-airport/
Federal Reserve Bank of New York - Recycling Petrodollars
newyorkfed.org/research/current_issues/ci12-9.html
IMF - Petrodollar Recycling and Global Imbalances
imf.org/en/news/articles/2015/09/28/04/53/sp032306a
U.S. Treasury - Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States
home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/international/the-committee-on-foreign-investment-in-the-united-states-cfius
European Council - Foreign direct investment screening agreement
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2025/12/11/foreign-direct-investment-council-and-parliament-reached-political-agreement-to-improve-fdi-screening/
Companies House / GOV.UK - Register of Overseas Entities
gov.uk/government/collections/register-of-overseas-entities
Transparency International UK - Secret property ownership in England and Wales
transparency.org.uk/news/trust-issues-tackling-final-frontier-secret-property-ownership
IEA - World Energy Outlook 2025
iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2025
PIF - Lucid Motors investment
https://www.pif.gov.sa/en/news-and-insights/press-releases/2018/lucid-motors/
NEOM - Green Hydrogen Company financial close
neom.com/en-us/newsroom/neom-green-hydrogen-investment
Mubadala - Abu Dhabi launches global investment strategy on artificial intelligence
mubadala.com/en/news/abu-dhabi-launches-comprehensive-global-investment-strategy-on-artificial-intelligence
