RIYADH: BlackRock CEO Laurence Fink, Aramco President Amin Nasser, and Public Investment Fund Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan are among the global leaders set to converge in Riyadh next month for the ninth Future Investment Initiative, or FII9.
Scheduled for Oct. 27-30 at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center, the Kingdom’s flagship investment summit will bring together more than 600 speakers across 230 sessions, including heads of state, investors, and industry executives, under the theme “The Key to Prosperity: Unlocking New Frontiers of Growth.”
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the conference will host more than 15 heads of state, alongside prominent executives, investors, and policymakers at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.
FII9 seeks to build upon the momentum generated by previous editions, which have established the summit as a key platform for signing landmark agreements. Highlights from FII8 included the launch of a SR1 billion ($267 million) startup fund, Beta Lab, designed to support emerging companies across the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia.
“FII9 is where global leaders align capital with purpose. The Priority Compass ensures our discussions are not abstract, but rooted in the real concerns of people across the world,” said Richard Attias, chairman of the executive committee and acting CEO of FII Institute, as reported by SPA.
The proceedings will open with a keynote by PIF’s Al-Rumayyan, who will present the 4th annual Priority Compass, a global survey gathering insights from tens of thousands of citizens across 32 countries, representing 66 percent of the world’s population. The survey is designed to guide discussions on investment priorities and emerging economic trends.
The agenda is structured around confronting complex global paradoxes, including balancing technological progress with its societal consequences, fostering innovation while managing risk, and navigating economic fragmentation in an interconnected world.
Key topics will include the future of global trade, the energy trilemma, and the governance of artificial intelligence.
The speaker roster includes some of the most influential figures in finance and industry, such as Saudi Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih; Bill Ackman, founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management; and Bruce Flatt, CEO of Brookfield.
Other confirmed participants include Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase; Jane Fraser, CEO of Citi; Patrick Pouyanne, chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies; and Ruth Porat, president and CIO of Alphabet and Google.
The 2024 edition saw significant international partnerships forged, including a collaboration between Saudi Arabia’s Hassana Investment Co. and the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan to explore infrastructure and real estate opportunities.
Additionally, Japan’s SBI Holdings partnered with BIM Ventures to establish BIM Capital, a firm aimed at channeling over SR750 million in foreign direct investment into the region.
Further agreements, such as a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Investment and the World Bank’s International Finance Corp., and a partnership between stc Group and the Saudi Sports for All Federation, underscored the event’s focus on driving tangible economic development and social impact.
