As Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) turns 40 this month, he enters his tenth year in power with a domestic record unlike any other leader in a single decade. His leadership has reshaped Saudi Arabia with sweeping reforms in women’s rights, regional diplomacy, and economic modernization, positioning the kingdom for long-term global influence.
The most visible shift has been in women’s rights, with Saudi Arabia’s 20 million citizens now able to drive, travel without a male guardian, and hold roles in law, aviation, diplomacy, and the C-suite. Women now make up about 36% of the workforce, a statistic that may seem normal to Americans but represents profound societal change for a nation long resistant to such shifts.
Regionally, MBS has tied domestic change to strategy abroad, supporting the expansion of the Abraham Accords while advocating for a credible pathway to a Palestinian state as the necessary political price for lasting normalization with Israel. This approach has positioned Saudi Arabia as a key player in Middle East diplomacy, with its foreign policy increasingly aligned with U.S. interests.
The Crown Prince’s reforms have not come without significant challenges, with critics pointing to the arrest of activists, businessmen, and even royals. However, history shows that in rigid systems, rapid reform often clashes with entrenched interests. Great reformers such as Turkey’s Atatürk, Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew, and China’s Deng Xiaoping rarely transformed nations without firm measures to suppress opposition. MBS has demonstrated a willingness to embrace these measures, acknowledging the need for control to maintain stability amid rapid change.
Despite the controversies, MBS has proven to be an unusually quick learner, adjusting course when necessary, avoiding the temptation to double down on failures, and maintaining momentum while refining strategy. This ability to recalibrate is rare in leadership, allowing him to navigate the complex challenges of modernizing a vast and traditionally conservative nation.
What sets MBS apart from many historical reformers is time. At 32, he could remain in power for decades, providing the long runway needed not only to launch reforms but to embed them so deeply in Saudi institutions and society that reversal becomes impossible. This vision of long-term stability and influence has positioned Saudi Arabia as a key player in global affairs, with potential impacts extending beyond the Gulf to pump prices, regional stability, and U.S. influence for generations.