RIYADH ( WNAM MONITORING): Prominent Saudi adviser Hassan bin Youssef Yassin, who lived through the reigns of all the kings and served in several advisory roles, passed away on Sunday.
His life was closely connected to the modern history and development of Saudi Arabia, during which he witnessed successive Saudi kings and devoted his life to serving the Kingdom.
Yassin worked closely with Saudi petroleum ministers Abdullah Tariki and Ahmed Zaki Yamani from 1959 to 1967. He headed the Saudi Information Office in Washington from 1972 to 1981 and served with the Arab League observer delegation to the UN from 1981 to 1983.
He represented the continuation of a family legacy rooted in the career of his father, Sheikh Youssef Yassin, a prominent political adviser to King Abdulaziz, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia. Yassin the elder served as a key figure in the Kingdom’s founding political and diplomatic era.
Hassan Yassin was a columnist for Arab News.
Born in Makkah in 1934, he began his professional career as director of the office of Saudi Oil Minister Abdullah Tariki before establishing the Saudi media office in Washington.
During his childhood in Riyadh, Yassin was closely connected to the social environment surrounding King Abdulaziz due to his father’s role as an adviser to the founding king.
Against the backdrop of his father’s long public career, Yassin grew up immersed in the details and inner workings of Saudi politics from an early age.
He became familiar with many pivotal moments that shaped the establishment and evolution of the Kingdom, and his role deepened further through his close association with former Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal and his involvement in major, sensitive political issues.
He belonged to the first generation of Saudis educated abroad, studying at Berkeley University in the US in the 1950s before returning to Saudi Arabia to work in the energy sector.
During the 1960s and 1970s, he lived in Washington, where he founded the Saudi Information Office and developed extensive relationships with members of the US Congress, as well as senior American officials.
Yassin received his early education in Makkah and Taif before enrolling at Victoria College in Egypt, one of Alexandria’s oldest and most prestigious English-language schools. There, he studied in the same classroom as Jordan’s late King Hussein.
With his passing, the nonagenarian leaves behind a legacy of a long national and professional journey marked by service, dedication and achievement.
Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir condoled his death, saying: “My elder brother and friend, Hassan Yassin, has passed away after a life filled with sincerity, defined by his giving to his homeland and his loyalty to his friends. I knew him for over 40 years for his captivating personality, exceptional culture and love for all. May God have mercy on him and grant him a spacious place in His gardens. My deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.”
Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan posted on X: “With the passing of Hassan Yassin, we lose a national memory and a cultural treasure trove that accompanied our kings and witnessed the renaissance of our country. A few years ago, my colleagues at the Ministry of Culture were honored to register his home in the national register of urban heritage.”
Minister of Commerce Majid Al-Qasabi said: “May God have mercy on the late luminary of diplomacy, media and history, who lived through the reigns of this country’s kings and the stages of its development, and devoted his life to serving his faith and homeland.”
Condoling the demise, British adviser Fiona Hill CBE, who served as chief of staff at 10 Downing Street with former UK Prime Minister Theresa May, told Arab News: “I first met Hassan, or HY as I would come to call him, in 2016 when I was visiting Riyadh with my then boss Theresa May, who was the UK prime minister at the time. We were invited to dinner with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. HY was sitting across from me. With a razor-sharp mind that never left him, he quizzed May better than any opposition leader in the House of Commons! We immediately became dear friends and to this day, if I am experiencing a challenging time, I always ask myself, ‘what would HY do?.’
“He leaves behind a Kingdom that I know he was enormously proud to call home. I will never stop reflecting on the numerous conversations we had about life and the universe, and I will continue to learn from his wisdom. He may not be here to bring his friends together for dinner and an enlightening conversation, but I know whenever I visit Riyadh, the spirit of my wonderful friend HY will endure.”
In his condolence message, Osama Nugali, former Saudi ambassador to Egypt, said: “During my diplomatic journey spanning four decades, I witnessed his prolonged illness, which neither weakened his resolve nor halted his vibrant activity. It was as if he was continuing the path of his father, Sheikh Youssef Yassin — the political adviser to the founder King Abdulaziz — in serving the homeland. He was distinguished by his breadth of vision and relationships. His heart knew no hatred, resentment, or grudge toward others, and thus others loved him in return.
“I did not realize that our last meeting, a month ago at the launch ceremony for Prince Saud Al-Faisal’s book, would be our final one. His eyes still held the same sparkle, and his mind the same vibrant energy, despite the frailty of his body under the weight of illness. With hearts steadfast in faith in God’s decree and destiny, I mourn with profound sorrow and grief the passing of Hassan Yassin.”
