The Baker Institute for Public Policy welcomed Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Karen Elliott House for an in-depth discussion of her latest book, “The Man Who Would Be King: Mohammed bin Salman and the Transformation of Saudi Arabia”(Harper, 2025).
Drawing on decades of reporting and firsthand experience in Saudi Arabia, House analyzes Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s consolidation of power, his sweeping social and economic reforms, and the risks and uncertainties shaping the nation's future. In a conversation with Baker Institute Director David Satterfield, she explored the internal dynamics driving change in the kingdom, what MBS's leadership means for regional and global politics, and how his ambitious modernization agenda is reshaping Saudi society.
The evening began with a light reception, followed by an armchair discussion and an audience Q&A. A book signing concluded the program. Books were provided for sale at the event courtesy of Brazos Bookstore.
Follow @BakerInstitute on X to join the conversation online with #BakerLive.
Registration
Registration has closed.
Baker Institute events are powered by the generous contributions of our supporters. Learn how you can make a donation or become a member of the Baker Roundtable.
Agenda
5:00 pm CDT — Reception
5:30 pm CDT — Armchair Discussion
6:30 pm CDT — Book Signing
Participants
Moderator
The Honorable David M. Satterfield
Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy; Former ambassador to Lebanon and Turkey
Featured Speaker
Karen Elliott House is a senior fellow at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. She retired in 2006 as publisher of The Wall Street Journal, senior vice president of Dow Jones & Co., and a member of the company’s executive committee, following a 32-year career as a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and editor with extensive experience in international affairs. She is the author of “On Saudi Arabia: Its People, Past, Religion, Fault Lines—and Future”(Knopf, 2012).
During her career at Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal, House served as foreign editor, diplomatic correspondent and energy correspondent based in Washington. She received a Pulitzer Prize for international reporting in 1984 for coverage of the Middle East, along with multiple Overseas Press Club awards and the Edwin M. Hood Award for Excellence in Diplomatic Reporting. She has interviewed world leaders across the Middle East, Europe and Asia and frequently appeared in the media as an expert on international relations. House serves on several nonprofit boards, including RAND, where she is chair, and is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.