This archive report was first published on 28 October 2019.
Published on October 28, 2019, the Future Investment Forum (FII), also known as 'Davos in the Desert', is set to reboot this year after a wave of business and political leaders pulled out following the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi last October at Saudi Arabia's Istanbul consulate.
The three-day event, aimed at presenting the insular kingdom as a dynamic investment destination, is expected to attract figures from the global business and finance elite, including US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who leads a high-powered American delegation.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, King Abdullah II of Jordan, and four African leaders are also set to speak at the summit, which was launched by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to promote his Vision 2030 economic diversification plan.
The CEOs of asset management firms Blackstone and SoftBank, as well as chairs of the sovereign wealth funds of Kuwait, UAE, Singapore, and Russia, are expected to attend the event, which will cover topics ranging from the future of the world economy and investments to UN Sustainable Development Goals and sports.
