Saudi Arabia Postpones ‘Davos in the Desert’ Event Slated for Next Week

The Saudi Gazette reports that the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute announced Monday that the 10th edition of its flagship investment conference, originally scheduled for October 26–29, 2026, in Riyadh, has been postponed until 2027.[2]FII Institute CEO Princess Maha bint Mishari Al Saud said in a statement, quoted by the Saudi Gazette, that "This decision comes from a deep commitment to our partners, members, speakers, and delegates."[2] The institute's statement said, "We will announce the new 2027 dates very soon,"[3] according to Yahoo News.Semafor, citing people familiar with the matter, reports that the in-person event was called off after Wall Street executives privately relayed safety concerns to organizers, including the boss of the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund[4].According to Semafor, this year's conference had been set to host JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, and BlackRock CEO Larry Fink.[4] CNBC says the attack left at least 12 people dead and hundreds injured[1], while Yahoo News cites the Associated Press as reporting at least 13 people dead[3].The National reports that Intersec Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Retail Forum were also cancelled[5]. Semafor reports that Riyadh Fashion Week and an exhibition tennis tournament have all been postponed after the Houthis escalated attacks on the kingdom.[4]Bloomberg calls the postponement "a significant blow to the kingdom's ambitions of positioning itself as a hub for business"[6].