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Private company

MBC Group

Logo: MBC Group, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons3

Saudi Arabian media conglomerate

MBC Group is a Saudi media conglomerate and the leading media group in the Middle East and North Africa, widely described as the region’s largest broadcaster. It was launched in 1991 by Saudi businessman Waleed bin Ibrahim, who serves as its chairman. The group is majority owned by the Public Investment Fund., a Saudi state-owned entity.2 It was founded by Waleed bin Ibrahim Al Ibrahim.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

Sep 18, 1991Founded1

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MBC Group is a Saudi media conglomerate and the leading media group in the Middle East and North Africa, widely described as the region’s largest broadcaster. It was launched in 1991 by Saudi businessman Waleed bin Ibrahim, who serves as its chairman. The group is majority owned by the Public Investment Fund., a Saudi state-owned entity.2

Corporate structure

MBC Group sits at the top of its group. 5 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

Built from subsidiaries, stakes and holdings from Wikidata (CC0); major holders from Schedules 13D and 13G. Each entity in the chart links to its source.

What it owns

What MBC Group reports owning in its annual reports to the SEC: buildings, land and equipment, real estate and locations, investments, intangible assets and inventory, at the end of its latest fiscal year and a year before.

Stakes and holdings (Wikidata)

Things Wikidata records the company as owning, with the share when stated.1

The story

Founded by Waleed bin Ibrahim Al Ibrahim on Sep 18, 1991.1

MBC Group was founded in London in 1991 with the launch of MBC 1, the first private Arabic satellite channel. The group expanded to Dubai in 2002.

In 2011, MBC reported 165 million viewers.

MBC Hope launched in June 2013 to handle social engagement campaigns like "Syrians without an address" and "Stars on board." In 2017, it expanded to Egypt to support female entrepreneurs.

In 2022, MBC relocated to Riyadh and expanded its operations. The group now oversees Shahid (largest Arabic streaming platform), 19+ TV/radio channels, MBC Studios, MBC Academy, and MBC Talent Agency.

MBC partners with telecoms and international production studios, and also develops projects in video games, NFTs, and digital currencies.

In 2023, 60% of MBC group was owned by Istedamah Holding Company (a subsidiary of the Saudi government's Ministry of Finance), with the rest belonging to its founder Waleed bin Ibrahim Al Ibrahim. In 2023, MBC Group announced its initial public offering (IPO). The offering consisted of a primary offering of 33,250,000 new ordinary shares, representing 10% of the company's share capital post-listing. This move marked a significant step in the company's financial strategy and opened up new avenues for investment and growth. By October 2024, the stake owned by Istedamah had dropped to 54%, and this stake was transferred to the Public Investment Fund in November 2024.

In 2023, total revenue reached SAR 3.7 billion (+6.2%) and net profit SAR 69 million (+44.8%). 60% of MBC was owned by Istedamah Holding Company (Saudi Ministry of Finance subsidiary) and the rest by Waleed bin Ibrahim Al Ibrahim.

MBC announced its IPO on the Tadawul in November 2023, with a share price range of SAR 23–25. The IPO raised SAR 831 million with huge demand.

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Following the IPO, shares rose 30% on debut (Jan 8, 2024) and 134% by Jan 25, 2024. 2024 revenue: SAR 4.2 billion (+13.1%); net profit SAR 426.1 million (+515.2%).

In September 2025, the PIF became a major shareholder, acquiring 54% through Istedamah Holding Company for SAR 7.469 billion.

From Wikipedia’s article on MBC Group, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Products and brands

Streaming platform

MBC Shahid is the first free video on demand service in the Middle East and North Africa and one of the region’s streaming platforms, offering the largest library of Arabic content. It is also a premium video on demand service globally outside China, the US, and India and operates as an over‑the‑top streaming platform delivering content directly over the internet.

Shahid features MBC's own shows along with dubbed or subtitled foreign content. In January 2020, it partnered with Disney and Fox to add over 3,000 hours of content, including Star Wars, Marvel, and Disney classics such as Frozen, alongside nine new Arabic originals.

In December 2024, Shahid led the subscription video‑on‑demand market in the Middle East and North Africa with approximately 4.4 million subscribers, ahead of competitors such as YouTube Premium and Netflix.

Subsidiaries

MBC Studios

In 2018, MBC established its own production studio to produce film and television series targeting at Middle-Eastern audiences. MBC Studios later expanded to work with Hollywood studios to produce English-language features.

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MBC Studios has established global partnerships with major international production studios in Hollywood And London to launch joint film and television projects, most notably the film Desert Warrior, a co-production between MBC Studios and JB Pictures. The film stars Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Sir Ben Kingsley, Sharlto Copley, Ghassan Massoud, Sami Bouajila, and Lamis Ammar, and is directed by Rupert Wyatt. The screenplay was co-written by Rupert Wyatt, Erica Beeney, and David Self, and the film's main scenes were shot in the Saudi Arabian cities of NEOM and Tabuk with support from the NEOM Media Industries sector. It is scheduled to have its Middle East and North Africa premiere at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah in 2025, following its world premiere at the Zurich Film Festival in September 2025 in Switzerland. The film Kandahar, starring Gerard Butler, was also filmed in Saudi Arabia.

MBC Studios also produces Arabic works with international standards and broadcasts them globally, such as the crime drama series "Rashash" and "Rise of the Witches." In Ramadan/April 2025, MBC 1 aired the series "Muawiya," produced by MBC Studios, which is considered one of the largest historical productions in Arabic drama. In September of the same year, the Venice International Film Festival hosted the premiere of the film "The Voice of Hind Rajab," which was co-produced by MBC Studios alongside a number of major Hollywood and international studios, and was written and directed by the Tunisian Kaouther Ben Hania.

From Wikipedia’s article on MBC Group, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Subsidiaries and ownership

Owners

Subsidiaries

Also owns

From Wikidata.1

Timeline

  1. Sep 18, 1991Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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