It is 14 days until FII8: The catalyst for global economic transformation

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The countdown has begun for the eighth edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute’s annual international conference. This year’s edition: “Infinite Horizons: investing today, shaping tomorrow” will be held in Riyadh on the 29-31 October 2024. 

The FII Institute is a global non-profit foundation driven by data, with an investment arm and a single agenda: ‘impact on Humanity’. It aims to inspire and support innovative solutions to such issues as climate change, healthcare, education and technology. Also, it is committed to promoting sustainable development and ensuring a better future for generations to come. 

Through its annual flagship conference as well as its Priority summits, the Institute brings together world leaders, policymakers, investors and entrepreneurs to discuss and explore investment opportunities in combatting the world’s most pressing issues. 

Initially conceived as an annual international conference in 2017 to provide a forum for the world’s brightest minds to discuss how best to tackle these issues. Since then, it has evolved into a catalyst for global cooperation.  

The FII Institute’s annual conferences have become a cornerstone for international investors, thought leaders and policymakers seeking to shape the future. Over the past seven editions, these gatherings have featured an impressive ‘Board of Changemakers’ from the world of finance, technology, geoeconomics and policy to explore innovative ways to drive positive impact. This creates an unparalleled opportunity for networking, knowledge-sharing and exploring innovative solutions to pressing global challenges. 

Building on its flagship annual conference in Riyadh, the FII Institute also runs summits around the world on specific priority issues.” Recent FII Priority summits have been held in Hong Kong, Miami and Rio de Janeiro. 

As well as featuring conversations between current and former heads of state, politicians and international institutions, previous editions have also hosted corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, academics and philanthropists engaged in fields as diverse as finance, technology, healthcare, education and sustainability. 

For example, the 2019 edition titled ‘What is next for global business?’ brought together sovereign wealth fund managers from Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, the UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait. During the 2021 hybrid edition, ‘Neo-Renaissance’, Dame Graça Machel, one of the world’s foremost advocates for children’s rights, and American singer Gloria Gaynor, were named as co-recipients of the inaugural FII Institute for Humanity Award. 

Last year’s conference, ‘The New Compass’, showcased the power of international cooperation and investment. For example, the President of the Republic of Korea highlighted the Shaheen project, a landmark partnership with the Middle East that exemplifies the benefits of cross-border collaboration. Dr William Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya, delivered a powerful message emphasising Africa’s potential as a continent of opportunity. His call for greater inclusion and investment in Africa resonated with global leaders and investors.

The FII Institute’s annual Riyadh conference has evolved strategically. Initially conceived as a gateway into the Kingdom, the Institute rapidly established a reputation for thought leadership on critical international issues. To further strengthen its impact, the FII Institute introduced a membership-based model in 2023, thereby ensuring a carefully chosen audience of elite global thinkers, investors and business leaders to foster deeper engagement and more meaningful discussions. 

Individual membership provides access to the FII Institute’s annual flagship conference, each of its four international summits held every year, all its special reports as well as exclusive access to innovation-driven investment opportunities. 

The FII Institute has also developed into a movement. Crucially, it provides a forum for action as well as discussion. Over the past seven years, the Institute has announced over US$120 billion in investment, demonstrating the power to drive real-world impact. By fostering strategic partnerships and attracting global capital, the Institute is reshaping the global investment landscape and creating a more sustainable and equitable future.

An impressive list of trustees sits on the board. The Chairman of the FII Institute, H.E. Yasir Al-Rumayyan, is Governor of the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF). The Institute’s CEO is Richard Attias, the Moroccan founder and chairman of global strategic communications firm Richard Attias & Associates. Other members of the board include: H.R.H Princess Reema Bint Bandar Al Saud, KSA Ambassador to the USA; H.E Mohammed Al Abbar, founder and chairman of EMMAR Properties; UAE; Professor Tony Chan, president of KAUST, USA; Professor Adah Almutairi, co-director of the Centre of Excellence in Nano-Medicine and Engineering at the University of California San Diego; Dr Peter H. Diamandis, the founder and chairman of the XPRIZE Foundation; and Senator Matteo Renzi, the former prime minister of Italy. 

By launching an inclusive Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles and scoring methodology, the FII Institute sets out to power investments into ventures that will leave a lasting positive impact on the world. It aims to give unbiased ratings for companies in emerging markets. Organisations with healthy ESG scores not only perform better financially, they weather change better.

The FII Institute has entered into grassroots partnerships with multiple nongovernmental organisations seeking to improve educational opportunities for disadvantaged communities in Kenya and Brazil (Kenya Connect and Arca). At the same time, the Institute is powering a new collective action platform, WAVE, led by HRH Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud, and, in partnership with the Ministry of Energy, seeks to regenerate the world’s oceans within one human generation before the year 2050.

The Institute collaborates with renowned organisations, experts and knowledge centres to produce thought-provoking publications. Its impact reports, white papers and op-eds shed light on critical global issues and offer practical solutions. These publications serve as valuable resources for policymakers, investors and thought leaders seeking to drive positive change.

Already, in its short history, the FII Institute has begun to translate its ideas into action. The organisation promises to continue this impressive record of not only initiating discussions but also delivering results through its own investments. 

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

HE Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Governor, Public Investment Fund & Chairman of the Future Investment Initiative Institute

SPEAKERS

HE Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Managing Director & Group CEO, Mubadala Investment Company

Ray Dalio, Founder, CIO Mentor and Member of the Board, Bridgewater Associates

Jamie Dimon, Chairman & CEO, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Catherine MacGregor, CEO, ENGIE

Sara Menker, Founder & CEO, Gro Intelligence

Dr. Patrice Motsepe, Founder and Executive Chairman, African, Rainbow Minerals

Stephen A. Schwarzman, Chairman, CEO & Co-Founder, The Blackstone Group

David Solomon, Chairman & CEO, Goldman Sachs

SECRETARY OF THE BOARD

Richard Quest, Anchor & Correspondent, CNN

The eighth edition will be held at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Centre between 29-31 October 2024. If you would like to register to attend the conference, please visit https://fii-institute.org/conference/fii8/