Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Jan 16, 2026

High-profile speakers lined up for Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Riyadh

High-profile speakers lined up for Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Riyadh

The Global Entrepreneurship Conference (GEC), which kicked off on Sunday, will bring together 150 experts’ speakers, international business leaders, economists, and decision-makers from 180 countries, as well as 26 ministers from around the world, to discuss over 100 sessions a variety of important topics in the field of entrepreneurship, and best practices for establishing a uniform post-pandemic global entrepreneurship system
The conference, which was organized by the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority (Monshaat) in collaboration with the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) was launched on Sunday in Riyadh under the theme "Rethink, Reboot, Regenerate"

Among the leading local figures speaking and participating in the conference are the Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman, Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih, and Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Eng. Abdullah Al Swaha.

Internationally, speakers include Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, and Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph, as well as businessman and economist Carl J. Schramm who is the former president of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

In addition to the entrepreneur and Chairman of GEN Jeff Hoffman, and the founder of Mara Group Ashish Thakkar, and from Stanford University, the lecturer Rebeca Hwang, amongst many more.

A number of CEOs will participate in the conference, including the CEO and Board Member of the Saudi Venture Capital Company, Dr. Nabeel Koshak, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The list of speakers at the conference also includes a number of founders and important figures, among them are Deputy President and Vice Chairman of Abdul Latif Jameel Group Hassan Jameel and Vice President of Nesma Holding Co. Noura Alturki, Co-founder of Careem Abdullah Elias, and CEO of Unifonic Inc, Ahmed Hamdan, CEO and Co-founder of Nana Sami Alhelwah, and CEO of Orascom Development Holding AG, Samih Sawiris.

Also participating in the conference are the founder and CEO of Falak Investment Hub Adwa AlDakheel, and founder of Resal Hatem Kameli, Chairman of The Board of Sunbulah Group, Samer Ibrahim Kurdi, and the founder of Foodics, Eng. Ahmad Al Zain

The list includes a group of the most important entrepreneurs, including entrepreneur Huda Kattan, owner of the cosmetics company Huda Beauty, and the Eyewear entrepreneur Karen Wazen, entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of media and communications company VaynerX, and CEO of Rosberg X Racing, Nico Rosberg.

The conference will feature a series of discussions and workshops that will serve as a source of inspiration for entrepreneurs seeking innovative solutions.

It also aims to have a positive incentive to take innovative measures that keep up with the development of the entrepreneurship environment at the local, regional, and international levels, as well as achieving post-pandemic economic recovery for small enterprises.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Cybercrime, Inc.: When Crime Becomes an Economy. How the World Accidentally Built a Twenty-Trillion-Dollar Criminal Economy
Strategic Restraint, Credible Force, and the Discipline of Power
Donald Trump Organization Unveils Championship Golf Course and Luxury Resort Project in Saudi Arabia
Inside Diriyah: Saudi Arabia’s $63.2 Billion Vision to Transform Its Historic Heart into a Global Tourism Powerhouse
Trump Designates Saudi Arabia a Major Non-NATO Ally, Elevating US–Riyadh Defense Partnership
Trump Organization Deepens Saudi Property Focus with $10 Billion Luxury Developments
There is no sovereign immunity for poisoning millions with drugs.
Mohammed bin Salman’s Global Standing: Strategic Partner in Transition Amid Debate Over His Role
Saudi Arabia Opens Property Market to Foreign Buyers in Landmark Reform
The U.S. State Department’s account in Persian: “President Trump is a man of action. If you didn’t know it until now, now you do—do not play games with President Trump.”
CNN’s Ranking of Israel’s Women’s Rights Sparks Debate After Misleading Global Index Comparison
Saudi Arabia’s Shifting Regional Alignment Raises Strategic Concerns in Jerusalem
OPEC+ Holds Oil Output Steady Amid Member Tensions and Market Oversupply
Iranian Protests Intensify as Another Revolutionary Guard Member Is Killed and Khamenei Blames the West
President Trump Says United States Will Administer Venezuela Until a Secure Leadership Transition
Delta Force Identified as Unit Behind U.S. Operation That Captured Venezuela’s President
Trump Announces U.S. Large-Scale Strike on Venezuela, Declares President Maduro and Wife Captured
Saudi-UAE Rift Adds Complexity to Middle East Diplomacy as Trump Signals Firm Leadership
OPEC+ to Keep Oil Output Policy Unchanged Despite Saudi-UAE Tensions Over Yemen
Saudi Arabia and UAE at Odds in Yemen Conflict as Southern Offensive Deepens Gulf Rift
Abu Dhabi ‘Capital of Capital’: How Abu Dhabi Rose as a Sovereign Wealth Power
Diamonds Are Powering a New Quantum Revolution
Trump Threatens Strikes Against Iran if Nuclear Programme Is Restarted
Why Saudi Arabia May Recalibrate Its US Spending Commitments Amid Rising China–America Rivalry
Riyadh Air’s First Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Completes Initial Test Flight, Advancing Saudi Carrier’s Launch
Saudi Arabia’s 2025: A Pivotal Year of Global Engagement and Domestic Transformation
Saudi Arabia to Introduce Sugar-Content Based Tax on Sweetened Drinks from January 2026
Saudi Hotels Prepare for New Hospitality Roles as Alcohol Curbs Ease
Global Airports Forum Highlights Saudi Arabia’s Emergence as a Leading Aviation Powerhouse
Saudi Arabia Weighs Strategic Choice on Iran Amid Regional Turbulence
Not Only F-35s: Saudi Arabia to Gain Access to the World’s Most Sensitive Technology
Saudi Arabia Condemns Sydney Bondi Beach Shooting and Expresses Solidarity with Australia
Washington Watches Beijing–Riyadh Rapprochement as Strategic Balance Shifts
Saudi Arabia Urges Stronger Partnerships and Efficient Aid Delivery at OCHA Donor Support Meeting in Geneva
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 Drives Measurable Lift in Global Reputation and Influence
Alcohol Policies Vary Widely Across Muslim-Majority Countries, With Many Permitting Consumption Under Specific Rules
Saudi Arabia Clarifies No Formal Ban on Photography at Holy Mosques for Hajj 2026
Libya and Saudi Arabia Sign Strategic MoU to Boost Telecommunications Cooperation
Elon Musk’s xAI Announces Landmark 500-Megawatt AI Data Center in Saudi Arabia
Israel Moves to Safeguard Regional Stability as F-35 Sales Debate Intensifies
Cardi B to Make Historic Saudi Arabia Debut at Soundstorm 2025 Festival
U.S. Democratic Lawmakers Raise National Security and Influence Concerns Over Paramount’s Hostile Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery
Hackers Are Hiding Malware in Open-Source Tools and IDE Extensions
Traveling to USA? Homeland Security moving toward requiring foreign travelers to share social media history
Wall Street Analysts Clash With Riyadh Over Saudi Arabia’s Deficit Outlook
Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Cement $1 Trillion-Plus Deals in High-Profile White House Summit
Saudi Arabia Opens Alcohol Sales to Wealthy Non-Muslim Residents Under New Access Rules
U.S.–Saudi Rethink Deepens — Washington Moves Ahead Without Linking Riyadh to Israel Normalisation
Saudi Arabia and Israel Deprioritise Diplomacy: Normalisation No Longer a Middle-East Priority
Saudi Arabia Positions Itself as the Backbone of the Global AI Era
×