Turki al-Sheikh, the controversial Saudi Arabian billionaire and sports minister who has roiled Egypt’s soccer scene, is generating a new tempest with his involvement in the country’s entertainment sector.
In early February, Sheikh, who was appointed chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Authority for Entertainment in Saudi Arabia in December, inked agreements with several Egyptian entertainment companies. The nature of the contracts varies. One, signed with the Sabah Group, represented by Sadek al-Sabah, involves the production of films featuring Egyptian, Saudi and other Arab actors to premier in Saudi Arabia. Others contracts are with the singers Amr Diab, Hani Shaker and Mohamed Hamaqi and the poets Amir Toaimeh and Ayman Bahgat Kamar for performances in the kingdom.
