Event will gather together CEOs, CMOs, Presidents and VPs from across the region and beyond

Riyadh KSA, April 1 2017:  For the first time, Saudi Arabia will host the ‘Top CEO Conference and Awards’ – an event which will see CEOs, CMOs, Presidents and VPs from across the Arabian Gulf region and beyond gather together on 10th and 11th April 2017 at Bay La Sun Hotel & Marina, King Abdullah Economic City. 

The annual event, now in its third edition, serves to address the burning issues facing the corporate world today while also recognising the very best in GCC business leadership. It is organised by TRENDS magazine and INSEAD – the leading international business school – and will take place under the theme ‘Adapting to Disruption: New Roles, New Realities’, to reflect the transformation in the way C-level executives and businesses prepare to make agile strides toward a sustainable future.

Julien Hawari, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Mediaquest, commented: “The Top CEO Conference has carved a niche for itself not only as a pioneering regional business conference and awards ceremony, but also as an essential leadership event.  Our well-thought-of conferences will bring global issues to light in a regional context. Businesses in the GCC and the Middle East are at a turning point, with the era of abundance coming to an end, old business models changing and slow growth haunting the region. New technologies are being ushered in and the region is fast embracing the concept of a new reality. So, we are trying to put these perennial issues at centre-stage, initiate a dialogue and draft a roadmap for a smooth transition.”

The Top CEO Conference is an open discussion between thought leaders, executives and officials. Its purpose is to frame global issues – specifically disruptive leadership, innovative corporate strategies and changing dynamics of the business ecosystem – in a regional context, and help executives and leaders to navigate challenges, embrace a new reality, and take their organisations forward in the right direction. Plenary and breakout sessions are a key highlight, delving into the present and future of business in the region, and exploring how business models in the GCC countries are reshaping themselves in this ever-changing world.

The event will feature both on-record and off-record sessions, covering topics including New Technologies, Challenges of Slow Growth, The Broken Job Machine, Public-Private Partnerships, Leadership 2.0, Big Data & Artificial Intelligence, Vision 2030, Arab Image in the West, Women & Leadership, other sessions will explore investing in Saudi Arabia, the image wars and anti-trust laws.

For the first time the Society of Family Offices, the Singapore based association of family offices will hold its private meeting in Saudi during the Top CEO conference. 

The awards will also be presented on 11th April 2017 and honour the region’s 100 best-performing CEOs based on an evaluation of their companies performance, growth, profitability, corporate governance, & transparency. The Top CEO Awards works with corporate governance institute Hawkamah to ensure that elements of good governance remain an integral part of the overall ranking system, and with one of big four auditors, to ensure same level of rigor and transparency. 

This event is held under the sponsorship  of Amex as the Strategic sponsor, King Adbullah Economic City as the Strategic partner, Maserati as the Official car sponsor, Panerai as the Timekeeper sponsor, DHL as the silver sponsor, Capital Club and Deloitte as Bronze sponsors and Arab News as the  Officia English media partner. 

Mark your date
This year, the Top CEO Conference & Awards will be held at Bay La Sun Hotel & Marina, King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia.