Tareq Al-Suwaidan

Tareq Mohammad Al-Suwaidan (born November 23, 1953 in Kuwait) is a Kuwaiti entrepreneur, and Islamic author and speaker. He is the CEO and owner of Gulf Innovation Group in Kuwait and the general manager of Al-Resalah Satellite TV channel owned by Saudi billionaire prince HRH Alwaleed bin Talal. He is also the chairman of the AWARE (Advocates for Western-Arab Relations & Exchange) center in Kuwait. Al-Suwaidan was trained in the classical Islamic sciences in his youth and spent many years of his life living and studying in the United States, having received a B.S. in petroleum and natural gas engineering from Penn State University and an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in petroleum engineering from the University of Tulsa. He is well known in the Middle East and in Muslim communities throughout the world for his management/strategic planning training, motivational speaking and television shows and appearances.

Biographical Details

Al-Suwaidan lived and studied in the United States, having received a B.S. in petroleum and natural gas engineering from Penn State University and an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in petroleum engineering from the University of Tulsa. [http://www.suwaidan.com/cv.jsp Swidan Website ] ] He currently resides in Kuwait with his wife and six children.

Media & Management

Al-Suwaidan is a TV personality, with TV shows ranking among the highest in ratings on Middle East satellite TV channels such as MBC, Abu Dhabi TV, Orbit, Dream, Iqra and Al-Resalah TV. [http://www.tbsjournal.com/SuwaidanInterview.html TBS 16 Interview with Tareq Alsuwaidan, General Manager of Al Resalah Channel ] ] http://www.thedohadebates.com/output/Page29.asp] An estimated 10 million viewers tune in daily to his show on MBC annually in Ramadan He has also been interviewed on major networks CNN, BBC, and CBS. [reference needed]

Al-Suwaidan is the General Manager of al-Resalah TV owned by Saudi multi-billionaire Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal. Al-Suwaidan is quoted by the Christian Science Monitor as defining the goals of the new, Islamic channel as being "in clash with terrorist ideas… We are going head to head" and "In our understanding, Islamic media is any clean media..." [The Christian Science Monitor, May 2, 2006: The new Muslim TV: media-savvy, modern, and moderate: Ursula Lindsey http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0502/p01s04-wome.html]

Al-Suwaidan is a management, leadership and strategic planning consultant in the Middle East and is CEO of the Gulf Innovation Group. [ [http://www.gulfinnovation.com/index.jsp?inc=2&cid=1&lang=en Apache Tomcat/5.5.9 ] ] He is frequently consulted by prominent regional governmental and private sector organizations. [ [http://www.gulfinnovation.com/index.jsp?inc=2&cid=5&lang=en Apache Tomcat/5.5.9 ] ] . He is also the chairman of the AWARE (Advocates for Western-Arab Relations & Exchange) center in Kuwait.

Views and Ideology

Al-Suwaidan is one of the leaders and ideologues of the Islamic Reform Society in Kuwait which is close to the Muslim Brotherhood. [http://www.carnegieendowment.org/files/cp79_brown_kuwait_final.pdf] [http://www.ikhwanweb.com/Home.asp?zPage=Systems&System=PressR&Press=Show&Lang=E&ID=4701] Al-Suwaidan holds pro-democratic, pro-free speech and pro-freedom of religion viewpoints that he asserts were an influence of his many years living in the United States. He has supported the rights of women, within Islamic sharia law, to vote and to hold the highest of political positions. [Al-Suwaidan on Tim Sebastian's the Doha Debates arguing pro the motion 'This House believes that Arab women should have full equality with men'* http://www.thedohadebates.com/output/page30.asp] . [ [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4679252 Qatar Opens Debate on Thorny Muslim, Arab Issues : NPR ] ] . He has also [http://www.thedohadebates.com/output/Page30.asp voiced] a need to break with a traditional and historical understanding of Islam in favor of reform. Al-Suwaidan has condemned the actions of terrorists and suicide bombers, a stance that he [http://www.tbsjournal.com/SuwaidanInterview.html clarified] in a 2006 interview.

Educational Initiatives

Al-Suwaidan founded the American Creativity Academy in Kuwait, a private institution that offers an American college-preparatory education within the context of Islamic values.

Books and Audio Productions

Dr. Al-Suwaidan is the author of over 30 best-selling books and spoken word audio tape albums. His album, ‘Qasas al Anbiyaa’ (Lives of the Prophets) is the highest selling Islamic album in the world with well over 2 million copies sold. Additionally, over 1.2 million listeners have downloaded his lectures on the popular Islamic broadcast website "Islamway". [ [http://www.islamway.com/?iw_s=Scholar&iw_a=lessons&scholar_id=69 الشيخ: طارق بن محمد السويدان ] ]

References

External links

Dr. Tareq Al-Suwaidan's Official Website (Arabic only) [http://www.suwaidan.com]

Al-Resalah Satellite TV channel (Arabic only) [http://www.alresalah.net]