Ann Marie Bennett
Correction of Factual Errors
editI have recently been appointed as Mr Saïd’s Personal Assistant. I understand that his previous Assistant proposed some changes to Mr Saïd’s entry which were accepted by the Editors. Given my professional role, I recognise that there may be a perceived conflict of interest so I would like to propose some correction of factual errors to the talk page for scrutiny. Proposed changes have been referenced to third party sources, to Mr Saïd’s own website or to the Saïd Foundation's website, wherever possible.
I would value the input and feedback of the Wikipedia community with regard to these suggested edits. Please contact me at my discussion page if you have any questions. Many thanks, Ann Marie.
Please use this picture as Mr Saïd’s profile picture in the summary box
Reason: Up-to-date image
Source: https://www.waficsaid.com/activities/2014/the-thatcher-business-education-centre.aspx (Credit: ©Fisher Studios)
Add the following sentence to the end of existing paragraph 1 “Saïd was granted Canadian citizenship in 1991.”
Reason: factually correct
Source: https://www.waficsaid.com/profile.aspx
Existing paragraph 2 amend last sentence from “Saïd owns several international properties, including Tusmore Park in Oxfordshire, but is officially a resident of Monaco” to “Saïd owns several international properties, including in France and Spain, but is officially resident in Monaco.”
Reason: factually correct
Re-order as follows:
Contents Biography Business Career Al Yamamah Philanthropy
The Saïd Foundation
The Saïd Business School
Relationship with Margaret Thatcher Relationship with Syria
Other Interests Art Collecting Horse Racing UNESCO Property Awards
Reason: preferred chronological order
Move existing paragraph 7 “In March 2016, Saïd was told by British banking firm Barclays … Saïd said he would be taking legal action against Barclays” to new position of paragraph 13 under Business Career.
Reason: preferred chronological order
Add new paragraph 14 to follow on from existing paragraph 7 (new paragraph 13) “In March 2016, Saïd commenced legal proceedings against Barclays in the High Court in response to the action the bank had taken in closing certain accounts belonging to Saïd and companies associated with him. Those proceedings were settled on 2 June 2016 on terms that Saïd agreed to accept an apology from Barclays.”
Reason: factually correct
Source: https://www.ft.com/content/164f94ba-28ea-11e6-8ba3-cdd781d02d89
Move existing paragraphs 8 and 9 under “Relationship with Syria” to new positions of paragraphs 34 and 35.
Reason: preferred chronological order
Move existing paragraphs 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 under “Saïd Foundation” to new positions of paragraphs 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28
Reason: preferred chronological order
Add to the end of existing paragraph 10 (new paragraph 23) “It is an English registered charity, number 1125521.”
Reason: factually correct
Source: https://www.saidfoundation.org/
Amend existing paragraph 13 (new paragraph 26) change sentence from “The office became a locally registered charity in Syria in 2012, …” to “The office became a locally registered charity in Syria in 2010, …”
Reason: factually correct – Article of Association dated 2010.
Source: https://www.saidfoundation.org/history-of-the-foundation
Change existing paragraph 11 (new paragraph 24) to “Since 1984, the Scholarships Programme has offered scholarships and training opportunities for talented young Syrians, Lebanese and Palestinians, to enable them to acquire skills that will bring benefits to others in their countries of origin. To date the Foundation has funded Scholarships for 1,150 students from these countries, half of whom have studied in the UK. In 2017 the Foundation supported the Rhodes Trust’s expansion to new territories by endowing Rhodes Scholarships for students from Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine in perpetuity.”
Reason: updated information with new student figures
Source: https://www.saidfoundation.org/news/new-rhodes-scholars http://createsend.com/t/r-E95ACE9ACA6BDD5A2540EF23F30FEDED
Change existing paragraph 14 (new paragraph 27) to “Due to the turmoil in Syria, since late 2011 the Saïd Foundation has been providing support for emergency humanitarian assistance, education from pre-school to tertiary level, child protection and healthcare, to Syrians most affected by the crisis, whether refugees in Lebanon, Jordan or Turkey or internally displaced within Syria itself. Between 2011 and 2017 the Foundation provided over £13 million of support for such assistance. Given the complex nature of this crisis, the Foundation provides its support through international agencies with the expertise, partnerships on the ground and strategic and operational capability to respond to the ever-changing circumstances of the crisis. This support is provided through the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the International Rescue Committee and Save the Children.”
Reason: updated information
Source: https://www.saidfoundation.org/syria-programme
Move existing paragraphs 16, 17, 18 and 19 under Business Career to new positions of paragraphs 5, 6, 7 and 8.
Reason: correct chronological order
Move existing paragraph 21 to new position of paragraph 12. Reason: correct chronological order
Amend existing paragraph 18 (new paragraph 7), sentence “Saïd’s profile on his personal website says that when he arrived in Saudi Arabia in the early 1970s …” to “Saïd’s profile on his personal website says that when he arrived in Saudi Arabia in 1969 …”
Reason: Misquote from the website
Source: https://www.waficsaid.com/profile.aspx
Add new paragraph 9 between existing paragraphs 19 and 20 (new paragraphs 8 and 10) “Saïd Holdings Limited (SHL) was incorporated in Luxembourg in March 1987 and reincorporated in Bermuda in March 1994, from where it now operates. SHL has a diversified portfolio of investments including quoted and unquoted securities, fixed income and real estate. The company has a longstanding relationship with the London based investment advisory firm, Capital Generation Partners. The SHL Board is chaired by Michael Butt. The other Directors are Preston Hutchings, Daniel Martineau, Stephen Galbraith, Heather Gray, Philip Seers and Charles Stauffer. SHL’s financial statements are audited by PwC Geneva.”
Reason: correct chronological order of WS business career.
Source: http://www.shl.bm/
Amend existing paragraph 20 (new paragraph 10) first sentence from “In 1992 Said won a unanimous verdict in a libel case in the British high court, …” to “In 1992 Said won a unanimous verdict in a libel case in the English high court, …”
Reason: factual correction
Move first sentence of existing paragraph 22 to new standalone paragraph 15.
Reason: preferred order
Move existing paragraphs 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 under Al Yamamah Contract to new paragraph positions 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21.
Reason: preferred chronological order
Amend existing last sentence of paragraph 24 (new paragraph 17) from “Turki bin Nasser was also a recipient of money from BAE.” to “Turki bin Nasser was said to be a recipient of money from BAE.”
Reason: factually correct
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turki_bin_Nasser_Al_Saud Amend existing paragraph 26 (new paragraph 19) first sentence from “In a 2007 statement issued by Said on the Al Yamamah deal said that he had “… never been the business manager for anybody, let alone any member of the Saudi Royal Family, nor has he ever …” to “In a 2007 statement issued by Said on the Al Yamamah deal, he said that he had “… never been the business manager for anybody, let alone any member of the Saudi Royal Family, nor had he ever …”
Reason: grammatical correction
Editor’s note: due to chronological re-ordering, existing paragraphs 29 and 30 remain as paragraphs 29 and 30 but under “Philanthropy”.
Editor’s note: due to chronological re-ordering, existing paragraphs 31, 32 and 33 remain as paragraphs 31, 32 and 33.
Editor’s note: due to chronological re-ordering, existing paragraph 34 becomes new paragraph 36.
Move existing paragraph 35 “Philanthropy” to new position of paragraph 22.
Reason: preferred chronological order
Editor’s note: due to the chronological re-ordering, existing paragraphs 36, 37 and 38 become new paragraphs 37, 38 and 39.
Amend existing paragraph 38 (new paragraph 39) third and fourth sentence from “Bosra Sham won the 1996 1,000 Guineas and Champion Stakes under Said’s racing colours. Said’s Sagitta Asset Management sponsored the 1,000 and 2,000 Guinea Stakes, and having ended their sponsorship in 2003, Said withdrew his racing interests, citing his non-residence in England as the reason.” to “Bosra Sham won the 1996 1,000 Guineas and Champion Stakes in Said’s racing colours. Said’s Sagitta Asset Management sponsored the 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas Stakes, and having ended their sponsorship in 2003, Said withdrew from racing, citing his non-residence in England as the reason.”
Reason: grammatical correction
Change the word “trusts” to “interests” in first sentence of existing paragraph 39 (new paragraph 41)
Reason: lexical correction
Add the word “gold” to existing paragraph 39 (new paragraph 41) to read as “ …92ft limestone obelisk topped with gold leaf in the grounds …”
Reason: factually correct
Add the word “Sir” to existing paragraph 39 (new paragraph 41) to read “… in 2000 to a neo-Georgian design by Sir William Whitfield …” Reason: factually correct
Change existing paragraph 40 (new paragraph 42) first sentence from “Saïd also owns homes in Marbella in Spain, France, Saudi Arabia and Syria.” To “Saïd also owns homes in Marbella in Spain, France, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon.”
Reason: factually correct
Source: https://www.waficsaid.com/profile.aspx
Editor’s note: due to chronological re-ordering, existing paragraph 41 becomes new paragraph 43.