PIF announces 6 ‘Knowledge Partners’ for FII 2018

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia has unveiled the six “Knowledge Partners” who will lead cross-industry taskforces at the second edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII). The taskforces are interactive workshops on trending topics that offer participants a deep dive into the subject area. They also offer insights into how the trends can be leveraged to create investment opportunities.
The second edition of FII is taking place in Riyadh from Oct. 23-25 and will explore how investment can be used to drive growth opportunities, fuel innovation and shape future economies.
The six Knowledge Partners for FII 2018 are: Deloitte, EY, McKinsey & Company, Oliver Wyman, PwC / Strategy& and The Boston Consulting Group. Each company will bring together senior leaders from business, government and civil society for an in-depth discussion and learning session. The taskforce topics include:
• Cities — Demographic shifts, megacities, industrial shifts, education, design, and partnerships to build a more sustainable future
• Connect — AI-driven autonomous vehicles, corporate investments, and large-scale infrastructure re-imagining the way the world moves
• Culture — The ideas, trends, institutions, and economics driving the future of the global arts and culture industry
• Energy — Large-scale innovations and infrastructure remaking the global power and energy landscape over the next 10 years
• Ethics — How the world’s most successful companies are advocating for social good among institutions and consumers
• Explore — New formulas for developing world-class tourism destinations while preserving national heritage and identity
• Intelligence — Machine learning and cognitive computing that positions smart machines at the center of business and investment decisions
• Life — Breakthrough health-tech innovations and their impact on the future of health care investments
• Media — News, journalism, content, revenue models and the ways that access to information is changing the world
• Money — Transformational technologies and platforms reinventing commerce for the 21st century
• Play — Immersive experiences, business models, and visionaries changing the way the world is entertained
• Talent — Designing the future of work to be flexible, innovative, productive, creative and balanced
David Sproul, senior partner and chief executive, Deloitte North West Europe, said: “The Public Investment Fund, through innovative platforms such as the FII and its programs of strategic investment, is establishing itself as one of the most impactful and thoughtful organizations of its kind. Deloitte shares this ambition and commitment and is delighted to be selected as a Knowledge Partner for the FII 2018.”
Abdul Aziz Al-Sowailim, MENA Chairman and CEO, EY, added: “The Public Investment Fund has built an incredibly powerful platform through the FII for global thinkers to discuss trends that can transform the future. Building on the immense success of the FII last year, EY is very proud to take part in this year’s discourse as a Knowledge Partner. Through our sessions on smart cities and the future of entertainment we hope to drive the conversation around global investment in these key areas of growth.”