Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative forum: What we know
October 28, 2019, 10:55 am

The 2018 edition of the conference saw high profile discussions from a variety of industry and government representatives. (File photo Reuters)

Saudi Arabia’s third annual Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference is set to start on Tuesday this week in Riyadh. The conference comes amid a changing global landscape as emerging markets continue to take up a greater role in the global economy.

As one of the world’s leading economic forums, the event will see several key world leaders, business moguls, and investors convene to discuss the challenges, trends, and opportunities that are shaping the global investment landscape.

Various world leaders have already confirmed their attendance including India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and presidential adviser Jared Kushner are expected to lead Washington’s delegation to the financial conference, with US Energy Secretary Rick Perry also set to attend.

Several former government officials, including UK former Prime Minister David Cameron, Italian former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, and Australian former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will be at the event to discuss the challenges facing world leaders as a variety of social, economic, and technological changes cause widespread transformations to the global economy.

The conference will open with remarks from Yasir al-Rumayyan, governor of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, and chairman of energy giant Aramco.

Saudi Arabian energy minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman will also be in attendance for discussions around the global energy sector amid efforts by the OPEC+ group to sustain oil prices.

The conference is being held under the patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The FII will bring together over 250 ministers, CEOs, and industry experts to address issues ranging from sustainable development to the challenges in building an inclusive workplace.

High-profile business leaders expected to attend include Softbank’s founder and CEO Masayoshi Son, who is currently working on securing the Japanese conglomerate funding for its Vision Fund 2, HSBC Group Chief Executive Noel Quinn, and Chairman and CEO of Blackstone Stephen Schwarzman.

The conference is slated to host over 4,000 attendees from more than 30 countries with a program focused on three key topics: investment models to support “people, profit and planet,” policy frameworks to boost the tech industry’s growth, and cultural systems to inspire humanity in the modern age.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”