Saudi youth icon Rateel Alshehri, 14, welcomes Eric Trump at Trump Plaza Jeddah launch

 Fourteen-year-old Saudi youth icon and media trailblazer Rateel Alshehri this week hosted the official launch of Trump Plaza Jeddah, a landmark $1 billion mixed-use development by Dar Global in collaboration with The Trump Organization, marking a powerful moment for next-generation leadership on the Kingdom’s global stage.

Rateel served as Master of Ceremonies for the high-profile event, welcoming distinguished guests and introducing senior global leaders, including Eric Trump, Executive Vice President of The Trump Organization, Yousef Al Shelash, Chairman of Dar Al Arkan, and Ziad El Chaar, CEO of Dar Global. 

Her role reflected the confidence, global fluency, and ambition of Saudi Arabia’s rising generation. 

"It was an honour to host the launch of Trump Plaza Jeddah and to be part of a moment that reflects Saudi Arabia’s ambition, confidence, and global outlook,” said Rateel Al Shehri. "Seeing visionary projects like this come to life in our country is truly inspiring. 

"Hosting this launch was a proud moment for me. It showed how Saudi youth can contribute meaningfully to global conversations and stand confidently on international platforms,” she added. 

The selection of Rateel Al Shehri, at such a young age, to present a global investment event of this magnitude sends a powerful message about the transformative vision underway in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

It signifies that young people are no longer passive observers of the future but are now active architects of it. Their involvement today plays a pivotal role in shaping the global economic and investment landscape. 

"It was an honour to host the launch of Trump Plaza Jeddah and to be part of a moment that reflects Saudi Arabia’s ambition, confidence, and global outlook," said Rateel Al Shehri.

Widely recognised as one of the region’s most influential young media figures, Rateel Al Shehri is the creator and host of Rateel Alpha Talk, the Middle East’s youngest podcast platform, where she engages global leaders, innovators, and changemakers in conversations around leadership, curiosity, and impact. 

With a growing social media base exceeding two million followers, she was invited to speak at prominent student and youth gatherings like the Cambridge Global Webinar 2025,where she drove purpose, and leadership, saying: "It’s okay not to know your purpose yet, you’ll find it by trying, not by waiting.” 

Last year, despite being only 14, Alshehri found herself nominated alongside some of the region’s most prominent creators at the Joy Awards, one of the Middle East’s most prestigious entertainment honours. 

As the youngest nominee in her category, her inclusion marked a rare moment in an industry typically reserved for adults. This serves as a reminder to young people across the region that ambition has no minimum age, and that their voices can, and should, occupy major stages. Her nomination underscores a growing belief that youth creators are not just inspiring their generation, but shaping the cultural narrative of the region. 

Her forum series, Meet & Inspire by Rateel, has brought together hundreds of Saudi teens, building what she calls ‘the Kingdom’s first healthy teen community for girls’. The events combine mentorship, creativity, and open dialogue, reflecting the social transformation underway under Vision 2030. 

From major industry events such as iktva 2025 and the Forbes Sustainability Leaders’ Summit, to creative forums and tens of media appearances, Alshehri bridges business, innovation, and youth imagination, which are worlds rarely connected. She speaks the language of her generation, blending sincerity with a sense of purpose that’s difficult to ignore.