Saudi Arabia crown prince's past makes his vision a tough sell abroad

His plan to open up the economy may be jeopardised by his reputation

On Tahlia Street, a busy commercial boulevard in central Riyadh, a rotating digital billboard shows ads for oud fragrance, white boxer shorts, and a glittering diamond watch. Then comes an image of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman seated at a desk, with one of his latest soundbites: “Saudi Arabia plans to spend more in the next 10 years than it has in the past 300.”
 
The poster went up hours after the prince unveiled new steps to bolster the economy on March 30. These were the latest in a series of initiatives since the beginning of the year that