
Human Capability Initiative unveils speaker lineup featuring 300 global thought leaders, experts and policymakers
Riyadh – The Human Capability Initiative (HCI) organized by the Human Capability Development Program (HCDP) – one of the Saudi Vision 2030 realization programs – has announced the speaker lineup for its second edition. Held Under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and the Chairman of the Human Capability Development Program (HCDP) Committee, HCI 2025 will take place on 13-14 April, 2025, at King Abdulaziz International Conference Centre in Riyadh.
The conference will bring together 300 prominent leaders, policymakers, and global experts from academia, corporations, international organizations, and non-profits across 38 countries. Participants will engage in 100+ sessions designed to exchange insights and advance strategies for enhancing global human capability development amid rapid technological, demographic, and geopolitical shifts. The event will include over twenty ministers from Saudi Arabia and abroad. HCI will also feature a 'Success Stage' which will showcase more than thirty Saudi success stories.
As the world braces for a transformative shift in the labor market over the next five years, the conference will shine a spotlight on the critical skills gaps that persist across the globe. By emphasizing themes such as education, technology, and the future of work, HCI aims to reimagine the ways we live, work, and thrive, paving the way for a more resilient and inclusive workforce.
HCI speaker, Dr. Paul Gruenwald, Global Chief Economist, S&P Global Ratings, said: 'I look forward to discussing the critical issue of skills gaps at the second annual HCI conference in Riyadh. In a world driven by changing technologies, demographics and geopolitics, lifetime learning and adaptation will be essential to ensure sustainable and inclusive economic growth'.
Dr. Bedour Alrayes, Vice President of the Human Capability Development Program (HCDP), said: "We are thrilled to welcome such distinguished speakers to the second edition of HCI. This year's theme focuses on preparing for a future that demands significant global upskilling. The world will change substantially due to the rapid advancement of technology. The speakers we have assembled are leading experts who will guide us in addressing the urgent needs of human capability development.'
The HCI program was officially announced earlier this week on its website, and registration remains open. Additional high-profile speakers are set to be revealed as the event approaches.
In collaboration with the conference, the Saudi Ministry of Education will hold the Education Global Exhibition (EDGEx) over 13 – 16 April, 2025, forming the Human Capabilities & Learning Week, a unique platform to unlock the full potential of human capability.
About Human Capability Initiative (HCI):
The Human Capability Initiative (HCI) is the first global cooperative platform designed to unify international efforts and enrich global dialogue on the challenges and opportunities for developing human capabilities. Organized by the Human Capability Development Program – a part of the Vision 2030 realization programs – in partnership with Ministry of Education, HCI unites government entities, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations to foster collaboration and drive innovation in the realm of human capabilities.
The conference will take place on 13th – 14th April, 2025 at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh under the theme 'Beyond Readiness'.
For more information, contact media@humancapabilityinitiative.org or visit:
Program: https://humancapabilityinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/HCI-2025-Official-Program.pdf
Website: www.humancapabilityinitiative.org
X: https://x.com/HCI_KSA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hci_ksa/?next=%2F
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HCI_KSA/videos
About the Human Capability Development Program (HCDP):
HCDP is one of the Vision 2030 Realization Programs (VRP) that aims to position the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a global leader. HCDP will prepare citizens with the required skills, values and knowledge to compete globally.
https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/v2030/vrps/hcdp/
About Saudi Vision 2030:
Under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Saudi Vision 2030 was launched by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Crown Prince, and Prime Minister, with a roadmap to build Saudi Arabia's prosperous and bright future through a vibrant society, a thriving economy, and an ambitious nation. https://www.vision2030.gov.sa
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Middle East Eye
an hour ago
- Middle East Eye
Bank of America says Saudi Arabia preparing for 'long and shallow' oil price war
Saudi Arabia is batting down the hatches for a "long and shallow' oil price war, in part to clip the wings of US shale energy companies, the Bank of America's top commodities expert said. 'It's not a price war that is going to be short and steep; rather, it's going to be a price war that is long and shallow,' Francisco Blanch, the bank's head of commodities research, told Bloomberg in an interview on Monday. Saudi Arabia led an alliance of energy producers dubbed Opec+ in April to boost supply. The decision was a U-turn for Saudi Arabia, which for years had pushed Opec+ to cut production in a bid to lift energy prices. Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman went so far as to warn market speculators that they would be 'ouching like hell' if they doubted his willingness to starve the oil market of supply. However, energy analysts had been warning for more than a year that Saudi Arabia was in an untenable position. The kingdom was doing the heavy lifting to keep supplies low, while other countries were benefiting from higher prices. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Saudi Arabia has also surrendered market share in Asia to Iran and Russia. 'They've (Saudi Arabia) done this price support already by themselves for three-plus years,' Blanch said. 'They're done with that.' The United Arab Emirates won concessions to lift its production quotas in recent years. Abu Dhabi wants to pump more of its oil faster, with an eye towards a time in the future when energy demand peaks. Why Saudi Arabia can spend more money than it makes, even as oil prices drop Read More » In April, energy analysts also said Saudi Arabia's decision to boost output was taking aim at Iraq and Kazakhstan, two Opec+ members who were exceeding their Opec+ production quotas. Because Saudi Arabia is richer and is able to quickly extract oil, analysts say it can endure a prolonged slump better than poorer Opec+ members. The Bank of America's analysis points to another target: the United States. The US has become energy independent thanks to a boom in shale oil production over the last 15 years. The US is not a member of Opec, and American production has surged. Oil and gas production in the US hit a record high in December 2025. Saudi Arabia has been issuing a historic amount of debt to make up for budget shortfalls caused by lower oil prices. The kingdom is already scaling back mega-projects like Neom and tightening its purse strings on consulting firms that have raked up a windfall advising on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 agenda to remake Saudi Arabia's economy. The worst-case scenario for Saudi Arabia is that oil prices spiral further down, risking a price war like the one that erupted in 2020 between Russia and the kingdom during the coronavirus pandemic.


Channel Post MEA
7 hours ago
- Channel Post MEA
Wipro Establishes Its Middle East Regional Headquarters In Riyadh
Wipro Limited has announced the relocation of its Middle East regional headquarters from Al Khobar to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The new office in Riyadh was inaugurated in a ceremony attended by the Wipro executive team, employees, and customers. This is the latest addition to Wipro's growing presence in the region, which includes offices in Riyadh, Al Khobar, Jeddah, and Jubail. 'The inauguration of Wipro's new regional headquarters in Riyadh marks a significant milestone that contributes to accelerating the growth of the Kingdom's digital economy,' said Mohammed AlRobayan, Deputy Minister for Technology at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT). 'This also underscores the attractiveness of Saudi Arabia's digital business environment. We value the company's investment in developing national competencies, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and enhancing the Kingdom's position as a global technology hub.' In addition to this new office opening, Wipro recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University (PMU) to establish a Center of Excellence (CoE) in Riyadh. This partnership aims to upskill local talent by providing academic training in advanced technologies, hands-on experience, and access to Wipro's resources. The CoE will focus on equipping young Saudi nationals with future-ready skills, creating a talent pool that can add value to organizations and the kingdom. 'The establishment of our new regional headquarters in Riyadh reaffirms our commitment to supporting the dynamic business landscape in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,' said Vinay Firake, CEO – Asia Pacific, India, Middle East & Africa (APMEA), Wipro Limited. 'This strategic move, combined with our ongoing involvement in supporting the goals of the Kingdom, aligns with our vision of driving sustained growth and a future-ready workforce in the region. This commitment is strengthened by the recent appointment of Mohamed Mousa as our new Managing Director for Wipro Middle East out of our Riyadh headquarters, which will further advance our decades-long presence in the Middle East.'


Zawya
8 hours ago
- Zawya
Wipro strengthens Middle East presence with new regional headquarters in Riyadh
BENGALURU, India & RIYADH, Saudi Arabia--(BUSINESS WIRE/AETOSWire)-- Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading AI-powered technology services and consulting company, announced the relocation of its Middle East regional headquarters from Al Khobar to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The new office in Riyadh was inaugurated in a ceremony attended by the Wipro executive team, employees, and customers. This is the latest addition to Wipro's growing presence in the region, which includes offices in Riyadh, Al Khobar, Jeddah, and Jubail. 'The inauguration of Wipro's new regional headquarters in Riyadh marks a significant milestone that contributes to accelerating the growth of the Kingdom's digital economy,' said Mohammed AlRobayan, Deputy Minister for Technology at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT). 'This also underscores the attractiveness of Saudi Arabia's digital business environment. We value the company's investment in developing national competencies, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and enhancing the Kingdom's position as a global technology hub.' In addition to this new office opening, Wipro recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University (PMU) to establish a Center of Excellence (CoE) in Riyadh. This partnership aims to upskill local talent by providing academic training in advanced technologies, hands-on experience, and access to Wipro's resources. The CoE will focus on equipping young Saudi nationals with future-ready skills, creating a talent pool that can add value to organizations and the kingdom. 'The establishment of our new regional headquarters in Riyadh reaffirms our commitment to supporting the dynamic business landscape in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,' said Vinay Firake, CEO – Asia Pacific, India, Middle East & Africa (APMEA), Wipro Limited. 'This strategic move, combined with our ongoing involvement in supporting the goals of the Kingdom, aligns with our vision of driving sustained growth and a future-ready workforce in the region. This commitment is strengthened by the recent appointment of Mohamed Mousa as our new Managing Director for Wipro Middle East out of our Riyadh headquarters, which will further advance our decades-long presence in the Middle East.' About Wipro Limited Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading AI-powered technology services and consulting company focused on building innovative solutions that address clients' most complex digital transformation needs. Leveraging our holistic portfolio of capabilities in consulting, design, engineering, and operations, we help clients realize their boldest ambitions and build future-ready, sustainable businesses. With over 230,000 employees and business partners across 65 countries, we deliver on the promise of helping our clients, colleagues, and communities thrive in an ever-changing world. For additional information, visit us at Forward-Looking Statements The forward-looking statements contained herein represent Wipro's beliefs regarding future events, many of which are by their nature, inherently uncertain and outside Wipro's control. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Wipro's growth prospects, its future financial operating results, and its plans, expectations and intentions. Wipro cautions readers that the forward-looking statements contained herein are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, complete proposed corporate actions, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, Annual Reports on Form 20-F. These filings are available at We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf. View source version on *Source: AETOSWire Contacts Media Contact: Wipro Media Relations media-relations@