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Speakers Controlling $22 Trillion in Asset Value Expected at Saudi Future Investment Initiative

Future Investment Initiative announcement poster.
Future Investment Initiative announcement poster.
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Speakers Controlling $22 Trillion in Asset Value Expected at Saudi Future Investment Initiative

Future Investment Initiative announcement poster.
Future Investment Initiative announcement poster.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), one of the world’s most important sovereign wealth funds, said that prominent speakers from the investment sector have confirmed tat they will be attending the "Future Investment Initiative.”

Held in Riyadh, throughout October 24-26, the PIF-organized Future Investment Initiative is a pioneering new global investment event that will connect the world’s most powerful investors, business leaders, thought leaders and public officials with groundbreaking innovations defining the future.

According to a Future Investment Initiative press release, major asset managers such as Colony NorthStar Executive Chairman Thomas Barrack, Apollo Global Management Chairman and CEO Leon Black, First Eastern Investment Group Chairman and CEO Victor Chu, and BlackRock Chairman and CEO Larry Fink were among the confirmed speakers.

It is estimated that the speakers at Future Investment Initiative control a combined asset value of $22 trillion.

Over the past five years, sovereign wealth funds have significantly increased their exposure to emerging markets, while at the same time moving away from investment in foreign government bonds. While this partly reflects geopolitical instability, it is also a recognition that high yield returns are more readily available in the private sector.

Alternatively, unlisted and private investment portfolios, often in emerging technologies, are becoming increasingly popular with managers. The growth of funds in the Middle East and Asia enables managers from these regions to increasingly drive the global investment agenda.

The highly collaborative and interactive program has been carefully structured to allow investment leaders to discuss a range of topics pertinent to the current and future trends.

The program will also explore how investors can reconcile the demands to consider the environmental, social and governance benefits alongside the traditional returns drivers. Another key focus area will be how to meet transparency requirements and actively build trust with public constituents. Participants will also gain insights directly from global sovereign wealth fund leaders on how they can adapt to new technology driven strategies.

The investment themes have been developed through three key content pillars: Shifting centers of power; the new investment paradigm; and innovation for a better world.

The Future Investment Initiative will be hosted under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also the Chairman of PIF’s board.

Asset managers speaking at the Future Investment Initiative will be joined by speakers represent a range of sovereign wealth funds and pension funds including: Russian Direct Investment Fund CEO Kirill Dmitriev and Khazanah Nasional Berhad Malaysia Director and CEO Azman Mokhtar.

Leading GCC sovereign wealth funds will also be represented.

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Business

Madinah Sees Tourism Surge Ahead of Ramadan, Spending Tops $13.9 Billion

A cluster of buildings and hotels surrounding the Prophet’s Mosque (SPA). 
A cluster of buildings and hotels surrounding the Prophet’s Mosque (SPA). 
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Madinah Sees Tourism Surge Ahead of Ramadan, Spending Tops $13.9 Billion

A cluster of buildings and hotels surrounding the Prophet’s Mosque (SPA). 
A cluster of buildings and hotels surrounding the Prophet’s Mosque (SPA). 

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, has toured hospitality facilities and visitor services in Madinah as part of the “Spirit of Ramadan” inspection tour, which also included Jeddah and Makkah.

New data show visitor numbers exceeded 21 million over the past year, a 12 percent increase from 2024, while total tourism spending reached SAR 52 billion (about $13.9 billion), up 22 percent.

The visit focused on assessing the sector’s readiness for the Ramadan season, evaluating service quality, and supporting ongoing and upcoming tourism projects.

Madinah posted strong tourism performance in 2025, driven by higher visitor inflows and expanded hospitality capacity, reinforcing its position as a leading religious destination within Saudi Arabia’s tourism landscape.

Demand growth has been matched by a sharp rise in supply. Licensed hospitality facilities increased to 610, up 35 percent, while the number of licensed rooms surpassed 76,000, a 24 percent gain, strengthening the city’s ability to accommodate during peak seasons such as Ramadan and Hajj.

Travel and tourism offices also grew to more than 240, reflecting a 29 percent expansion in supporting services.

Al-Khateeb said the entry of international hospitality brands and new projects over the past five years underscores both sectoral growth and rising investor confidence in the Kingdom’s tourism ecosystem.

“The landscape today is different. The sector is growing steadily, supported by a system that empowers investors and facilitates their journey, with a promising future ahead,” he said.

To expand hotel capacity, the minister inaugurated the Radisson Hotel Madinah, a project worth more than SAR 39 million (around $10 million) and financed by the Tourism Development Fund.

The 2025 performance signals a shift from traditional seasonal growth toward more sustainable expansion built on diversified offerings, improved service quality, and a stronger contribution to the local economy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Business

Airbus Planning Record Commercial Aircraft Deliveries in 2026

An Airbus A350-1000 at the Singapore Airshow on February 4. The company said Thursday it aims to deliver a record number of aircraft this year. Roslan RAHMAN / AFP/File
An Airbus A350-1000 at the Singapore Airshow on February 4. The company said Thursday it aims to deliver a record number of aircraft this year. Roslan RAHMAN / AFP/File
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Airbus Planning Record Commercial Aircraft Deliveries in 2026

An Airbus A350-1000 at the Singapore Airshow on February 4. The company said Thursday it aims to deliver a record number of aircraft this year. Roslan RAHMAN / AFP/File
An Airbus A350-1000 at the Singapore Airshow on February 4. The company said Thursday it aims to deliver a record number of aircraft this year. Roslan RAHMAN / AFP/File

Plane maker Airbus aims to deliver a record number of commercial aircraft this year, the company said Thursday, capitalizing on "strong demand" and a jump in profit in 2025.

"2025 was a landmark year, characterized by very strong demand for our products and services across all businesses," CEO Guillaume Faury said in a press release announcing annual results.

The European manufacturer said it received 1,000 orders for commercial planes in 2025, with net orders of 889 after taking cancellations into account, and 793 delivered.

Last year, its overall profit jumped 23 percent to 5.2 billion euros ($6.1 billion).

The company said it is targeting "around 870 commercial aircraft deliveries" this year.

"As the basis for its 2026 guidance, the Company assumes no additional disruptions to global trade or the world economy, air traffic, the supply chain, its internal operations, and its ability to deliver products and services," it said in its outlook.

Both Airbus and its rival Boeing have struggled to return to pre-pandemic production levels after their entire network of suppliers was disrupted, even as airlines are eager to modernize their fleets with more fuel-efficient aircraft and expand to meet an expected increase in passenger numbers over the coming decades.

Business

Saudi Arabia's Humain Invests $3 Bn in Musk's xAI

The logo of the Saudi company Humain. Asharq Al-Awsat
The logo of the Saudi company Humain. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Saudi Arabia's Humain Invests $3 Bn in Musk's xAI

The logo of the Saudi company Humain. Asharq Al-Awsat
The logo of the Saudi company Humain. Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Arabia's artificial intelligence firm Humain said Wednesday it had invested $3 billion in US billionaire Elon Musk's xAI.

The investment made Humain a "significant minority shareholder,” the company said in a statement.

It added that its xAI holdings would be "converted into SpaceX shares" after the rocket company announced it was taking over the AI start-up earlier this month as Musk pushes to unify his many business interests.

CEO Tareq Amin said the latest investment “reflects Humain’s conviction in transformational AI and our ability to deploy meaningful capital behind exceptional opportunities where long-term vision, technical excellence, and execution converge, xAI’s trajectory, further strengthened by its acquisition by SpaceX, one of the largest technology mergers on record, represents the kind of high-impact platform we seek to support with significant capital.”

Musk's xAI had previously announced in November it was teaming up with Humain to build a 500-megawatt data center in Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi firm also inked a new deal with Nvidia.