Ex-Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt among 150 top speakers lined up for Saudi FII event

Usain Bolt of Jamaica after winning the men’s 200m final during the 15th IAAF World Championships at the National Stadium in Beijing, China, August 27, 2015. (Reuters)
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Updated 27 January 2021
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Ex-Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt among 150 top speakers lined up for Saudi FII event

  • The two-day event, which starts on Wednesday, will see Bolt join a discussion titled, “Playing to win: How will global investment drive the future of the sports industry?”
  • The athlete will be joined by Saudi Minister of Sport Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal and President of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) Jean Todt

DUBAI: Jamaican eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt has been named as one of the star speakers lined up to take part in a major Saudi investment and innovators conference.

The 34-year-old sprinter will be among 150 big names set to participate in the fourth edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII).

The two-day event, which starts on Wednesday, will see Bolt join a discussion titled, “Playing to win: How will global investment drive the future of the sports industry?”

The athlete will be joined by Saudi Minister of Sport Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Culture, and Heritage Dr. Amina Mohamed, Chairman of Formula E Alejandro Agag, and President of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) Jean Todt.

The theme for this year’s FII event will be “The Neo-Renaissance,” and due to travel restrictions as a result of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, some speakers will attend in-person in Riyadh, while many more will participate virtually from hubs in New York, Paris, Beijing, and Mumbai.

Another speaker revealed in the latest list is Senator Matteo Renzi, former prime minister of Italy and a member of the FII Institute’s board of trustees.

A leadership session on Thursday will feature a discussion between Kevin Rudd, the former PM of Australia and Alberto Fernandez, the president of Argentina, with insights from Bruno Le Maire, the French minister of the economy, finance, and recovery.

Some of the top-name speakers announced last week included Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman, Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs Group David Solomon, Credit Suisse CEO Thomas Gottstein, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, Total Chairman and CEO Patrick Pouyanne, British Minister of State for International Trade Lord Gerry Grimstone, Hyperloop One Co-founder Josh Giegel, and Co-founder and Co-executive Chairman of The Carlyle Group David Rubenstein.

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Other speakers will be Saudi Public Investment Fund Gov. and FII Institute Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Co-chairman and Chief Information Officer of Bridgewater Associates Ray Dalio, Snam CEO Marco Alvarez, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Special Envoy and Group CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. Dr. Sultan Al-Jaber, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Moelis and Co. Eric Cantor, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, and Saudi Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih.

In addition, delegates can expect to hear from Saudi Ambassador to the US Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan, Co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of Sinovation Ventures Dr. Kai-Fu Lee, Executive Chairman of Colony Capital Thomas Barrack, EDF CEO Jean-Bernard Levy, Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra, Blackstone Chairman, CEO, and Co-founder Stephen A. Schwarzman, the former President of the COP21 Paris Agreement Laurent Fabius, CEO and Managing Director of Mubadala Investment Co. Khaldoon Al Mubarak, and Founder and Managing Partner of SkyBridge Capital and former White House Director of Communications Anthony Scaramucci.


PIF-backed AviLease achieves revenue of $664m and 19% growth in 2025

Updated 27 February 2026
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PIF-backed AviLease achieves revenue of $664m and 19% growth in 2025

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund-backed AviLease achieved exceptional performance and sustainable business growth during 2025, supported by the strategic expansion of its global platform.

According to its financial results for 2025, AviLease recorded total revenues of $664 million, an annual increase of 19 percent, driven by disciplined growth in its asset portfolio and strong performance in aircraft remarketing amid sustained global demand for modern, fuel-efficient aircraft, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Profit before tax doubled compared to the previous year, reaching $122 million. The year witnessed an expansion in AviLease’s portfolio, reaching 202 owned and managed aircraft, leased to over 50 airline companies in more than 30 countries. 

The total value of the company’s assets stabilized at $9.3 billion. AviLease maintained a 100 percent fleet utilization rate, reflecting the resilience of its business model, the efficiency of its asset management, and the strength of its strategic relationships with airlines around the world.

AviLease concluded purchase agreements for aircraft from Airbus, including the A320neo family and A350F, and Boeing 737 aircraft, aiming to enhance its future asset portfolio with modern, fuel-efficient aircraft. This step will contribute to supporting future growth and meeting increasing customer demand for the latest aircraft, aligning with the Kingdom’s ambitions to become a leading global aviation hub.

AviLease strengthened its prestigious credit standing by obtaining a strong Baa2 credit ratings from Moody’s and BBB from Fitch, reflecting its financial solidity, managerial discipline, and efficiency in managing leverage. The company also successfully issued senior unsecured bonds worth $850 million last November under Regulation 144A/RegS. This issuance contributed to diversifying its funding sources and enhancing its financial flexibility.

Commenting on the results, AviLease CEO Edward O’Byrne said: “This exceptional performance reflects the quality of the company’s investment portfolio, the strength of its partnerships with airlines, and its strategic focus on responsibly deploying capital into highly sought-after, efficient, modern aircraft assets.”

He added: “As aviation markets continue to grow, AviLease is strategically positioned to continue its expansion plans and deliver sustainable long-term value for shareholders, contributing to the Kingdom’s ambitions.”

Throughout 2025, AviLease continued to play a pivotal role in the Kingdom’s growing aviation sector and contributed directly to the launch and scaling of the new national carrier, Riyadh Air, by completing a sale and leaseback transaction for a Boeing 787-9 aircraft, which thereby became the first aircraft to join the airline’s fleet.

AviLease also established a strategic partnership with Hassana Investment Co. This partnership aims to provide an opportunity for local and international investors to enter the aircraft financing asset class and benefit from AviLease’s technical expertise and operational capabilities to support partnership growth and enhance performance. 

Hassana Investment Co. has agreed to acquire an initial portfolio of 10 modern aircraft from AviLease.