The Future Investment Initiative…a new economic beacon for the world from the heart of Riyadh

Under the slogan "The key to prosperity"Yesterday, Tuesday, the activities of the first day of the ninth edition of The Future Investment Initiative (FII9) in the capital, Riyadh, with a call for unity, cooperation, and a sense of common destiny, where world leaders, CEOs, and investors gathered to confront the great challenges of the era; Innovation, progress, strength and purpose.

The activities of the first day witnessed an atmosphere full of enthusiasm and ideas, from the ethics of artificial intelligence to financial innovation, and from green energy to economic diplomacy, while the basic message was clear: "The key to prosperity lies in cooperation."

Al-Rumayyan: $250 billion deals through the initiative

Yasser Al-Rumayyan, Governor of Public Investment Fund and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Future Investment Initiative Foundation, addressed the conference with ambitious words, saying: "$250 billion worth of deals have been closed on this platform in the last 10 years. But this year, we have to take our influence even higher. Governments and the private sector must act as true partners. We need a new paradigm – a new era of cooperation for global prosperity. The Future Investment Initiative is the perfect place to achieve this."

Attias: Our goal is cooperation, not competition

In his opening remarks, Richard Attias, Chairman of the Executive Committee and Acting CEO of the initiative, reminded the audience of the humanitarian spirit behind this event, saying: "When the Future Investment Initiative came to light, our dream was simple: to bring the world’s decision-makers together, for cooperation, not competition. This initiative we all share among ourselves, and its strength stems from our collective work."

Change Makers Discuss the Volatile Global Order

The Council of Change Makers in Economic Geography and the Balance of Power brought together an elite group of world financial sector leaders, including Jamie Dimon, Chairman of JP Morgan Chase, Larry Fink, Chairman of BlackRock, Saudi businesswoman Lubna Olayan, and Stephen Schwarzman, Chairman of Blackstone Group, to decipher the changing global system.

Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of the company, said: "Black Rock"saying: "The GCC countries are rapidly emerging as one of the most vibrant destinations for global capital"Pointing to an unprecedented demand from investors for infrastructure and innovation in Saudi Arabia."

Al-Falih: 90% of foreign investments in Saudi Arabia are non-oil

At the second meeting of the Change Makers Council, the Minister of Investment announced, Khaled Al-Falih, with confidence: "Our GDP has doubled, driven by the non-oil economy. 90% of foreign investments now go to non-oil sectors. While the world faces uncertainty, Saudi Arabia enjoys solid certainty."

Finance and Planning Leaders: Balancing National Sovereignty and Global Integration

Rania Al-Mashat, Egyptian Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, stressed the importance of coordination between governments and investors, while Patrick Pouyanné, CEO of… "Total Energies"Saudi Arabia as "A beacon for public-private partnerships in the world."

Financial sector leaders, including Rachel Reeves, British Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Ali Al Kuwari, Qatari Minister of Finance, discussed how to protect national sovereignty while embracing global integration. Reeves confirmed that "Britain remains open to trade, investment and innovation"

The global race towards supremacy in artificial intelligence

Then, technology leaders took the stage, where Ruth Barratt, Director of Investments at Google, Mike Cicilia, Chief Business Officer at Oracle, and Tariq Amin, CEO of the Saudi Humane Artificial Intelligence Company, discussed the global race towards supremacy in the field of artificial intelligence. Borat said: "True leadership will rest with those who set ethical and organizational standards"

American software scientist Vi-Fei Lee and former Google CEO, Eric Schmidt, warned that superior digital intelligence could either elevate humanity or completely destabilize it, while Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snap, urged a return to authenticity, saying: "The next generation of social technology must restore trust, empathy, and true human connection."

In-depth discussion: Is humanity heading in the right direction?

In an in-depth panel discussion moderated by Richard Attias, heads of state and prime ministers from Rwanda, Guyana, Colombia, Albania and Pakistan joined global investors such as hedge fund veteran Ray Dalio and FIFA President Gianni Infantino to confront a specific question: Is humanity moving in the right direction?

A final affirmation of security. Energy

At the end of the first day’s activities, His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, Minister of Energy, the Kingdom’s leadership in formulating a comprehensive and safe transformation in the energy sector, while Han Zheng, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, concluded the day with a message of shared responsibility, saying: "Prosperity can only be sustainable if we pursue it together".

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