SoftBank CEO Son not to speak at Saudi conference, could still attend: WSJ

SoftBank Group Corp Chief Executive Masayoshi Son has cancelled a speaking engagement at this week's Saudi Arabia investment conference but could still attend, the Wall Street Journal said on Tuesday, citing a conference representative.

The cancellation comes as pressure mounts on Riyadh over the disappearance and death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, with many high-profile company executives pulling out altogether.

Son's absence from the stage would be in marked contrast to last year's inaugural event, where the 61-year-old Japanese entrepreneur was a notable presence leading credence to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's efforts to bring foreign investment into the Gulf kingdom.

A SoftBank spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Nearly half of the more than $93 billion raised last year to create SoftBank's Vision Fund came from Saudi Arabia, giving Son the firepower to make big bets in late-stage startups such as Uber Technologies Inc and shared office space provider WeWork Cos.

SoftBank has repeatedly declined to comment on whether SoftBank management including Son would attend, even as executives from portfolio companies Uber and Improbable dropped out.

Son's mix of visionary rhetoric and hard-headed business decisions has given him an oversized presence in the tech world.

However alarm over Saudi's involvement in the disappearance of Khashoggi has underlined his investment juggernaut's reliance on backers such as the kingdom at a time of rising political tensions.

Arm Holdings CEO Simon Segars has pulled out of the event, a source told Reuters on Monday. SoftBank acquired the chip designer in 2016.

Bloomberg reported on Monday that SoftBank Chief Operating Officer Marcelo Claure would also not attend.