INVITING US INTO THEIR STUNNING GSTAAD CHALET IN THE SWISS ALPS

THE JET SET SAUDI TYCOON AND HIS WIFE KATE TALK FAMILY, PHILANTHROPY AND FALLING IN LOVE

SHEIKH MOHAMMED AL RAHBANI

It’s a modern day love story. A dashing Saudi entrepreneur falls madly in love with an

American student, sweeps her off her feet and proposes on board a transatlantic Concorde flight. Within two weeks Boston-born Kate Schiller married Sheikh Mohammed Al Rahbani in a private ceremony in London and the rest is history.

Fast forward 23 years and three children later, Mohammed and beautiful brunette Kate

– who have homes in central London, Riyadh and Gstaad – are more in love than ever having bridged both background and cultural gaps. “Kate is from a small town in America and I was raised in a hardcore Saudi culture, but I’m very open as I lived most of my life abroad so it wasn’t that difficult making it work. The great thing was we agreed about more things that we disagreed about,” the charismatic Sheikh explains.

WORLD EXCLUSIVE

The 12-room mounta in chalet – which proudly bears the family crest – is set in the picturesque town of Gstaad, renowned for its affluent inhabitants and

glamorous visitors

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‘My Gstaad home is the jewel of all my houses as I have such a special

connection here’ Sheikh Mohammed

When HELLO! joins Mohammed, Kate, Norah, 17, and 15-year-old Sultan [their eldest son, 19-year-old Fahad was holidaying with friends in Europe] at their luxury home in the Swiss Alps for our exclusive photoshoot, the Saudi tycoon and philanthropist is on good form. Mohammed reveals he enjoys a quieter pace of life at their luxury Alpine home just a stone’s throw from A-list haunt, Gstaad Palace. “Gstaad is the only place I can really relax,” he

says. “It’s the jewel of all my houses as I have such a special connection here.”

And it’s not hard to see why with its rolling hills, fresh mountain air and perfect vistas. The close-knit clan escape to Switzerland for a few months a year to enjoy quality time together at their 12-bedroom, 14-bathroom wood-built chalet which has undergone a no-expense-spared renovation. Beautifully decorated with muted grey tones, metallic and luxurious

furnishings, this multi-million dollar bolt-hole has been transformed into a tranquil retreat where a selection of their favourite artwork adorn the walls, interesting sculptures find a haven and family photos take centre stage. With three underground floors that host the guest wing, heated swimming pool, sauna and gym, there’s also an entire level for Mohammed’s prized car collection. “That’s my favourite place in the house,” he says as his eyes light up. “I

The chalet was completely renovated with extra windows put in to create a light-filled space decorated in cool, modern greys, metallics and plush rugs

created the garage to be like an extension of a living room with my cars inside. I’ve wanted to create something like this for a long time and I fi nally made it happen.”

He may be a member of the billionaires club but the owner of Saudi-based SAFID [air distribution systems] and United Iron & Steel in the UAE, never takes his wealth for granted having worked his way up the corporate ladder under his visionary father Sheikh Haleem Faris

Al Rahbani. When his father passed away, Mohammed – the youngest of four children – was the natural successor to take on his father’s business legacy and transform the company to the global powerhouse it is today.

Refreshingly down-to-earth with a penchant for practical jokes, it’s clear that family is the most important thing in his world and just on cue his stunning teenage daughter Norah, whom he named after his beloved late mother,

appears. “Hello sunshine,” he says, affectionately kissing her on the cheek. “We always say in our culture that one day a good man will come along and take our daughter away so I want to spend as much time with her while she’s still at home. It makes our relationship more intense but saying that doesn’t make my love for Sultan or Fahad less, the love is all the same but in a different way.”

Sharing the story of how they fell in love

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The couple, who h a v e b e e n together for 23 years, with two of t h e i r t h r e e children – Norah, 17, and Sultan, 1 5 , ( a b o v e ) ; Mohammed is an art connoisseur who only believes in splashing out on special pieces which he adores, s u c h a s t h e N e g a t i v e Currency pop art pr int by David LaChapelle (left), w h i c h i s s h o w c a s e d i n one of the chalet’s

living areas

‘Our wedding was like the world opening up, another chapter in our lives’ Kate

The 12-seater dining table is perfect for hosting private dinner parties or informal catch-ups when the family fly in for summer and winter breaks

for the fi rst time, Mohammed and Kate take us on a tour of their mountain home, as they give us a rare glimpse into their jet set lives…

Tell us how you both met?Kate: I was a student at Boston University and Mohammed had brought his aunt over for medical reasons. It’s quite a small town and we kept bumping into each other whether it was by chance or by fate.Mohammed: To be honest, commitment was the last thing on my mind but when destiny comes, it comes. We’ve been steered to that direction and when I met Kate I knew there was something really special about her. It was her blue eyes that immediately attracted me to her in the beginning but I immediately knew she was different from the other girls. Kate, did Mohammed woo you in the early days of your romance?K: He sent me 100 red roses on Valentine’s Day. I was staying at my university accommodation

but brought them home with me that weekend. We had a family friend over and my mum was telling him about Mohammed sending me all those fl owers. He told her: “You’re never going to believe this but I was in my car and they were talking about the craziest things people had done on Valentines’ day on the radio station so a florist called in and said they’d just got the craziest order of 100 red roses going to a young lady who lived on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston… and it was my little Kate. I can’t believe it.”M: That was 23 years ago!What were your fi rst impressions of Mohammed?K: I was taken aback by his romantic gestures and I didn’t know what to think. It was overwhelming… I was in love.What did your parents say about this dashing Saudi suitor who had swept you off your feet?K: They loved him!M: The roses alone explained how I felt about her. Kate’s parents George and Suzanne are

great, they’re a nice family and I like them a lot. Don’t forget there is a gap of cultures here but we bridged everything and made it work.It sounds like the ultimate whirlwind romance as you married within a year of meeting each other. Mohammed, tell us how you proposed?This is a very good question… [laughs]. I’d only been seeing her for a while but I knew this was the girl of my life. I didn’t really propose in a traditional way. Concorde was still in operation and on a fl ight to London I turned to her and said: “By the way, we’re getting married.” K: You actually said: “I think it would be a good idea if we got married.” [laughs]Describe your wedding day…M: It was very private Islamic wedding held at our London home with only close family members present. I still remember every single detail of the actual day. My father was still alive and he’d organised a number of things. Everyone was so happy and I just wished my mother could have been there to share it

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always playing practical jokes on them! M: Kate’s dad wanted to go to a hardware shop to build something for the kids. As a joke I told my driver he was hungry and to take him to the pizza place. Kate’s dad doesn’t speak Arabic and my driver obviously doesn’t speak English. They were gone for hours and Kate’s dad said he had no idea what was happening but they ju s t cou ldn’t communicate with each other.

Her parents loved their trip and we exposed them to the beauty of Saudi – they lived in a nice house, had drivers and had an amazing time.You now have homes in the UK, Saudi and Switzerland. What is it about this Gstaad home that makes it so special?M: We were happily living in the chalet next door when this amazing property went on sale. I had a figure in my mind that I was willing to pay and after negotiations back and forth, it all worked out. I signed and exchanged the contracts on the same day. It went so quickly and so smoothly – it reminded me of my marriage to Kate.

with us as it was the moment that everyone had been waiting for. It was a beautiful day but very, very private. K: Honestly, it was like a world opening up, another chapter in our lives. I didn’t have any idea about designers so Mohammed helped me fi nd the perfect dress. M: It was Dolce & Gabbana…Kate, how did you adapt to a new culture as you were originally based in Riyadh for a year before moving your marital home to London?K: To be honest it was not tricky at all as I was with Mohammed and his extended family were there to guide me. It was a learning curve but it’s interesting as wherever you are in the world you make a life for yourself with your family. It was easy to make it work as we were together. M: After I lost my mum one of my aunts stepped into that motherly role and really took Kate under her wing. She even taught Kate some Arabic – the Riyadh dialect. K: Mohammed’s aunt was sweet, very sweet. My parents visited us in Saudi as well and they loved it – even though Mohammed was

‘We wanted to be comfortable here and it was important

that it feel like a home’ Kate

The master bedroom is the ultimate sumptuous haven for the couple, while their teenage daughter Norah also worked with interior’s expert Louise Bradley to design her chic bedroom (below)

Art deco mirrors, art work and vases lend a contemporary touch to the alpine home; The s leek, min imal is t en-sui te bathrooms (below) were also put in after the extensive renovations

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very important as this is where we spend our time so we want to be comfortable here.How often do you spend time here?M: We spend both our summers and winters here, so just over two months a year. We come in December with the kids for the Christmas holidays and for skiing, we come again in February for ten days and then in the summer we’re here in and out. If we go to Monte Carlo or Milan, it’s easy to fl y in and out of Gstaad as it’s so central to everywhere. You’ve got an incredible art collection around the home…M: Art to me has to have meaning, not just be a drawing on a wall because it’s by a famous artist.

Some of my friends in Gstaad thrive on that but every single piece we picked for our home has a meaning and we have a wonderful, eclectic collection of works from Damien Hirst, Joan Miró, Andy Warhol and Dashi Namdakov. K: Even the pieces outside by Simon Gudgeon give a feeling of nature. You’re passionate about art, but you also have a real passion for super cars. When did you love affair with motoring begin?M: Ever since I was a child! My fi rst car was a Maserati when I was 17. Then I moved on to an Aston Martin Lagonda, which was a limited series. My father loved special cars so I defi nitely got my passion for him as I was amazed by all the

cars we had at home. There was a Toronado, an Oldsmobile from America, which he brought over to Saudi at a time when no one knew about these cars. During the fi rst Gulf war I was in love with the military Hummers and I got two of those – including one convertible. I started collecting them years ago and now have in total about 40 cars – with eight here at our Gstaad home.Do you have any favourites?The Bugatti is definitely a favourite and I wouldn’t call it a car as its different… I love the Ferrari FF and the Phantom Rolls-Royce. I treat them as family members, honestly I do. I wanted to have my cars close to me so I

You’ve completely renovated it and put your own stamp on it…M: We’ve put in a lot of effort to make it just the way I had envisioned. We completely transformed the inside and just kept the façade. We put in extra windows and extended the balconies and it cost us a lot but I love it here. Interior designer Louise Bradley, who furnished our London home, also came on board to help us with those special touches.K: You guys work really well together. M: I trust Louise and she knows exactly what I want, so it makes life a lot easier. K: We all made it a home as well which was

The father and son duo can often be found enjoying ping pong (above) or a game on the bespoke football table (bottom) in the tycoon’s very own man cave, that houses his prized car collection which includes a Phantom Rolls-Royce, Mercedes SLS

convertible and a Ferrari FF (below)

‘I’ve loved cars ever since I was a child... My first car was a Maserati’

With his two loves: Kate and his beloved Bugatti Veyron Vitesse. “I treat my cars like family members,” says Mohammed, who inherited his

passion for motoring from his father

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to my father’s vision that this land is now worth AED1 billion.What were the greatest business lesson you learnt from your father?M: My father always thought strategically and long term and left the details to others – I’m exactly the same. He had lung disease and couldn’t fi nd the right treatment so he built a hospital. It was the 1960s and it was one of the fi rst concrete hospitals outside Jeddah. King Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud asked my father to buy the hospital and it’s now used for women and children. I learnt a lot from my father as his word was his bond and couldn’t be broken. He was also a real visionary and was always thinking ahead of time. Your late mother Norah was known for her philanthropic efforts after she set up an initiative to feed the less fortunate in Riyadh which you still continue to this day…My mum loved helping people in need and it was one of things she lived for. Every Ramadan she’d organise trucks to deliver food to those in need and I’ve continued carrying the fl ag. I’ve changed the food programme and now send frozen chickens, lamb, rice, pasta and sugar. Sometimes I go with the drivers and it gives me such joy and happiness that we’re able to help others. We’ve always remained low key about it as when you do good deeds you do it for yourself, not for others. K: There’s an Arabic saying that when your right hand gives, your left hand doesn’t even know about it. What’s the secret behind your success?

The underground floors house the guest wing as well as the beautifully-decorated cinema room (above and below) which uses pops of teal, carefully-chosen art, candles and coffee table tomes to add personality to the room; Workaholic Mohammed has an office (right)

at the chalet but confesses he enjoys a quieter pace of life in Gstaad

‘I’m a workaholic but Gstaad is the only place I can really

relax’ Mohammed

created the garage to be an extension of a living room with my cars inside. I always wanted to create something of that nature and it’s perfect as we spend a lot of time there and have even hosted parties in the space. We had 50 people over for a house warming party and they fi t so easily and everybody was dancing... K: Guests were riding around on the scooters and the little electric bike, it was really fun.You made a name for yourself at your family company but you’d always dreamed of becoming a doctor…M: It stemmed from me wanting to help my grandmother when she fell sick. We had a doctor for my mum. I learnt a lot from him and I was so intrigued… I usually am a good judge of things. About eight years ago I asked Kate if it was too late for me to become a doctor and she said it wasn’t.K: When I said you should go back and study you said you wasn’t so sure after all [laughs].M: I joined the family fi rm at 18 and became Vice President immediately. I loved the company and grew with it, which my dad saw. After he passed away we spun it around, made it grow and created orbiting companies around it. We work on all the big glamorous projects such as Dubai Mall, King Abdulaziz Airport, the Four Seasons hotel in Riyadh and we’re working on the Abu Dhabi airport extension and we now have a steel plant in the capital, United Iron & Steel, which is a AED2 billion investment. We’re imminently starting a project in Mecca and it’s a testament

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stay at the Hermitage in Monte Carlo. Last year we went to Cap-Ferret for the

fi rst time and it was a great experience. I took fi ve cars and we had our staff, security and a friend and his family. Every night we drove to Monte Carlo to go to Cipriani or Nobu and everyone would stop and take pictures of all the super cars. What exciting projects does the future hold in store for you both?K: My mother and I are working on a series of

children’s book about a large family that ends up with a pack of Great Danes, which is what we had growing up.

Mum is a retired librarian so we work really well together and come up with these different stories and Mohammed’s been really helpful as he’s got really good ideas. We’d love to support a number of different initiatives with the proceeds including a women’s literacy programme. M: I’m all for it as it’s important for her to

‘Wherever you are in the world you make a life for

yourself and your family’ Kate

Mother-of-three Kate says she’s finally found the perfect spot in their home for Hiro Ando’s Big Samurai Strass (below), which now guards the spiral staircase

connecting the multi-storey homeKate and her lookalike daughter Norah, who share an incredibly close bond, enjoy spending time together in the spa quarter which features a heated swimming pool and jacuzzi (below)

M: I’ve been successful all my life and it’s a combination of determination, strength and following up until things actually happen – and of course being lucky with the right people. I couldn’t do it alone. Travelling plays a huge part in your lives, tell us your favourite spots around the world?M: During the summer we’ll either go to France or Los Angeles. We always stay at the Four Seasons, in Paris and in LA. We love the [InterContinental] Carlton in Cannes and

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have her own projects. It has potential and as the kids getting older she needs to work on something to get off my case [laughs]. K: Norah’s thinking about university now and she’s really interested in working in the fashion industry. She’s got a good eye, like Mohammed…M: I love clothes and design quite a lot so she keeps pushing me to create my own label. I’ve told her she needs to do it and I’ll work with her. Sultan hasn’t made up his mind what he wants to do as yet as he’s only studying for his GCSEs but Fahad is studying political science and history and he’s a really good diplomat so I’ve started taking him to business trips with me. As for secretly hoping he’ll join the

family business... he’ll have to! [laughs]What legacy would you like to leave behind to your children?M: To help people in need, to be proud of themselves and who they are and to carry the family’s fl ag. I want them to make the empire grow but always remain low key. I’ve always told them – don’t think you’re invincible, always be on your guard, work hard and stay humble!

Mohammed and Kate’s relationship have stood the test of time and cultures (above) as they pose on their grounds where Simon Gudgeon’s Dancing Cranes (left) and Goddess of Nature (below) take centre stage

H

‘I knew Kate was special the moment we met’ Mohammed

INTERVIEW, STYLING AND CREATIVE DIRECTION: SELINA JULIEN

PHOTOGRAPHY: HAROLD CUNNINGHAM

PHOTOGRAPHER ASSISTANTS: JOANNA PATER AND ANZHELA DITS

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