SoftBank Group Corp. CEO Masayoshi Son met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Monday, according to two people familiar with the matter, even as the kingdom faces heightened scrutiny following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Mounting evidence suggests a link between Khashoggi's violent death and the crown prince, while Saudi Arabia maintains that he was not involved. Son did not attend an investment conference in Riyadh, dubbed "Davos in the Desert," which finished Thursday and saw an exodus of high-profile speakers amid the controversy over the killing of Khashoggi.
The SoftBank chief executive was also said to have skipped a dinner held at the residence of Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the managing director of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, on Monday night, and was set to leave Riyadh on Wednesday.