Middle East power brokers descend on Milken’s Global Conference in LA
Financiers, entrepreneurs and business leaders will be figures of curiosity at this year’s four-day gathering in Beverly Hills
Khalid Al-Falih, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Investment (Photo: Getty Images)
Among the more than 1,000 speakers descending on Beverly Hills for the Milken Institute Global Conference starting Sunday will be a cadre of Middle East power brokers who are shaping the future of the region.
Between morning yoga sessions and sound baths – Milken has a “healthy aging” bent – the financiers, entrepreneurs and business leaders are likely to be figures of curiosity at this year’s four-day gathering at The Beverly Hilton. The Gulf’s economic diversification drives have gathered pace, making investments and headlines in everything from artificial intelligence and mineral mining to moviemaking and golf.
Making his way to the California sunshine is Ahmed Saeed Al Calily, Chief Strategy and Risk Officer at Abu Dhabi’s second-largest sovereign wealth fund, Mubadala Investment Co., who is set to speak on balancing climate risk and returns.
For advice on connecting Gulf investors with U.S. targets, Saleha Osmani, Managing Director of Dubai’s Falconbridge Advisors, will be on hand.
Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation can describe the city’s investment thesis on the future (yes, really) while Sheikha Shamma Al Nahyan, President and CEO of UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators, will tout her home country’s bona fides in sustainable investing.
Qatar Investment Authority, the Gulf’s fourth-largest sovereign with $510 billion in assets under management, is sending Americas investment chief Mohammed Al Sowaidi and Head of Funds Mohsin Tanveer Pirzada.
Saudi Arabia will be well-represented, too. As the kingdom looks to drive foreign investment through its Vision 2030 strategy, Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih will be on hand alongside Manar Al Moneef, Chief Investment Officer of NEOM, who has been traveling the world promoting the futuristic mega-project’s investment opportunities.
The Gulf’s hot capital markets are also on the agenda with Sarah Al Suhaimi, Chair of the Board of Saudi Tadawul Group slated to speak. From the industry side, Fahad Al-Dhubaib, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Market Analysis of Saudi Aramco, and executives from Alat, Saudi Arabia’s new manufacturing company backed by the Public Investment Fund, will be there, including CEO Amit Midha and corporate development head Brian Rogove.
From the wider region, and likely to tackle themes stemming from the war in Gaza, are Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan; Eugene Kandel, Chairman of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange; and Jon Medved, Founder and CEO of Israeli venture capital fund OurCrowd; as well as Lebanese entrepreneur Ibrahim Al Husseini, Founder and Managing Partner of Full Cycle, a climate restoration investment fund.