Latest news with #FIIPRIORITYMiami
Arab News
01-03-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Global leaders commend KSA's progress, leadership
In his opening address at the Future Investment Initiative, recently held in Miami, US President Donald Trump praised the Saudi leadership, highlighting its strong management and economic influence. Trump underscored the need for strategic investments that generate both financial returns and long-term social impact. He said: 'Today, it is a tremendous honor to be the first American president to address the Future Investment Initiative Institute. 'I come today with a simple message for business leaders from across the nation and around the world: If you want to build the future, push boundaries, unleash breakthroughs, transform industries and make a fortune.' Trump thanked Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for hosting talks in Riyadh aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war. He further shared his impression of the Saudi leadership, emphasizing its vision and outlining the core values that great leaders should embody — peace, love, respect and strength. The president praised Saudi Arabia and its leader, saying: 'The Kingdom is a special place with special leaders.' He also commended Princess Reema bint Bandar, the Kingdom's ambassador to the US, saying: 'She is very popular.' Saudi Arabia and its leadership have rightfully earned global recognition for their remarkable achievements, setting new international benchmarks through their exceptional economic, social and political strength. Trump highlighted the Public Investment Fund, calling it a 'big fund,' and also praised the chairman and governor of the Future Investment Initiative Institute, as well as Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan. The Future Investment Initiative is a global nonprofit foundation with an investment arm and a singular agenda focused on making a positive impact on humanity. It is worth noting that the third FII PRIORITY Miami, held under the theme 'Invest with Purpose,' was designated as a catalyst for creating visionary business models, bold public policies and actionable frameworks designed to unlock extraordinary economic value. The summit has driven remarkable value creation by aligning the strategic goals of the public and private sectors, accelerating economic growth and prosperity. Meanwhile, at the Saudi Media Forum, former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson commended Saudi Arabia's rapid transformation under Vision 2030. He highlighted the Kingdom's economic diversification, infrastructure development and social reforms, noting that 50 percent of the Saudi economy is now non-oil-based, with significant growth in the tourism, technology and renewable energy sectors. Johnson also praised the Kingdom's advancements in women's empowerment, highlighting that women now make up 35 percent of the workforce, including in the technology sector — a figure surpassing that of Silicon Valley and Europe. Reflecting on leadership, Johnson lauded Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as a 'leader with courage,' emphasizing the Kingdom's decisive and bold leadership. Saudi Arabia and its leadership have rightfully earned global recognition for their remarkable achievements, setting new international benchmarks through their exceptional economic, social and political strength. • Talat Zaki Hafiz is an economist and financial analyst. X: @TalatHafiz
Leaders
22-02-2025
- Business
- Leaders
FII PRIORITY Summit 2025: Unlocking the Potential of Investment with Purpose
The Future Investment Initiative (FII) PRIORITY Summit took place in Miami, US, from February 19-21, 2025, convening top world leaders, investors and policymakers to address the pressing challenges and explore opportunities that shape the global economy. Under the theme 'Invest with Purpose,' the third edition of the FII PRIORITY Summit explored ways to create visionary business models, bold public policies, and actionable frameworks designed to unlock extraordinary economic value and advance economic growth and prosperity. FII PRIORITY Miami 2025 The FII PRIORITY Summit took place amid rapid technological transformation and evolving geopolitical landscapes. In the light of this, it stressed the urgent need for resilient and purposeful strategies. The summit focused on harmonizing the tactical goals of the public and private sectors to enable extraordinary value creation. It also emphasized the need for bold and visionary investments in transformational technologies and innovations to drive economic growth and prosperity. The FII PRIORITY Summit centered around four key pillars. These included architecting the next generation private-public alignment; disruptive technology and the exponential economy; leadership in a changing world; and frontiers of capital. Invest with Purpose The FII PRIORITY Miami Summit kicked off with a keynote address for the US President, Donald Trump, who underscored the importance of investment with purpose in shaping the economic global landscape. US President Donald Trump The US President stressed the need for strategic investments that deliver both financial and social returns. 'Today, it's a tremendous honor to become the first American President to address the Future Investment Initiative Institute,' he noted. 'I come today with a simple message for business leaders from all across the nation and all around the world. If you want to build the future, push boundaries, unleash breakthroughs, transform industries and make a fortune,' Trump said. A Call for Action In his opening speech on the summit's second day, the Chairman of the FII Institute Executive Committee, Richard Attias, made a strong call for action to tackle global challenges. 'The world faces an array of interconnected challenges—economic growth, resilience, climate change, emerging technologies, and geopolitical shifts,' he said. 'As investors, the question we must ask is: How can capital be directed to be a force for good, tackling these challenges with purpose?' he added. Donald Trump Similarly, Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to the US, Princess Reema Bandar Al Saud, highlighted the importance of purpose-driven investments in building a more equitable, resilient, and sustainable world. In her address, she called delegates to invest not only in financial growth but in humanity itself. Major Initiatives The FII PRIORITY Summit 2025 in Miami witnessed the announcement of major initiatives. During the summit, FII Institute released its latest Impact Report, titled 'Transforming Healthcare for a Health Humanity.' The report highlights revolutionary advancements and investment opportunities in healthcare innovation. Furthermore, the summit saw the establishment of the first-ever Invest Saudi office in the US, marking a significant step in boosting cross-border collaboration and accelerating investment between Saudi Arabia and the US. Saudi Arabia: An AI Pioneer During his participation in the FII PRIORITY Summit 2025, the Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Abdullah Al-Swaha, underscored the Kingdom's pivotal role as a strategic partner for the US and the world in bridging digital gaps and leading the transition towards a 'smart age.' Abdullah Al-Swaha Furthermore, Al-Swaha highlighted Saudi Arabia's efforts and ambitious vision to strengthen global cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). The Saudi Communications Minister said that Vision 2030, launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is the 'most prominent success story of the 21st century.' As a result of this transformative plan, the Kingdom's digital economy is now valued at $132bn, accounting for 50% of the region's digital economy of $260bn. A Growing Technology Hub Al-Swaha also pointed to a growth in tech talents in Saudi Arabia, from 150,000 to 381,000, demonstrating the rapid growth in technology and innovation sectors. Furthermore, he highlighted Saudi Arabia's growing appeal to investments from global tech companies, including Oracle, Google and Microsoft, positioning the Kingdom's as one of the fastest-growing global tech hubs. Owing to this, Al-Swaha invited the world to consider Saudi Arabia as the ideal partner to accelerate AI adoption. He also expressed confidence in international cooperation's ability to overcome challenges and achieve sustainable productivity in this field. Fostering Partnerships On the sidelines of the FII PRIORITY Summit, Al-Swaha held a series of strategic meetings with the CEOs of global tech companies to foster partnerships in the fields of technology and AI, investment, space development, and entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia. In the light of this, the Saudi Minister met with the CEO of NEA, Tony Florence, to discuss supporting tech entrepreneurs and promoting investment in tech and innovation startups in the Kingdom. He also met with the CEO of Oracle, Safra Ada Katz, to explore the expansion of partnership in cloud computing and AI. Moreover, Al-Swaha met with the president and COO of SpaceX, Gwynne Shotwell, to discuss bolstering cooperation in the fields of space exploration and rocket technologies, in line with Saudi Arabia's ambitious plans in this field. To encourage investment in technology and AI, the Saudi Communications Minister met with the CEO of SoftBank, Masayoshi Son, to explore strengthening investment partnerships and supporting innovation. He also met with the CEO of Vista Equity, Robert Smith, to discuss boosting partnerships in tech investments and asset management. Short link : Post Views: 84
