The RLC Global Forum has confirmed Riyadh as the host city for its flagship 2026 meeting, taking place on 3 and 4 February under the strategic theme “Growth Crossroads.” As the leading cross-sector platform for the global retail and consumer-facing industries, the Forum will bring together CEOs, policymakers, investors, and innovators from around the world to explore where growth is emerging and how to navigate it amid profound shifts in markets and technologies.
The announcement follows a record-breaking 2025 edition, which convened over 2,000 senior leaders from 42 countries and generated tangible outcomes across cross-border commerce, grocery retail, luxury, technology, and innovation.
The 2026 program will bring together regional and global leaders to focus on:
- Public-private leadership sessions addressing cross-industry and policy priorities.
- Retail, real estate and infrastructure tracks on future lifestyle destinations.
- Innovation showcases across luxury, fashion, beauty, grocery, and fintech.
- Cross-sector working groups on trade, labor, and regional integration.
As the Gulf emerges as a center of gravity for retail innovation and investment, the Forum strengthens its global commitment to multilateral dialogue and cross-market collaboration, connecting growth hubs from the Global South with established economies to build a more resilient and inclusive future.
RLC 2026 will convene top decision-makers and innovators from around the world, including:
- Sam Kim, Vice Chairman & Group CEO, Lotte Retail, South Korea
- André Maeder, CEO, Selfridges Group, UK
- Marco Bizzarri, Co-founder and CEO, Forel, Italy
- Alison Rehill-Erguven, CEO, Cenomi Centers, KSA
- Sima Ved, Founder & Chairwoman, Apparel Group, UAE
- Geoffroy Van Raemdonck, Independent Director, Moncler Group, USA
- Dr. Bander Hamooh, CEO, Panda Retail Company, KSA
- Michael Chalhoub, CEO, Chalhoub Group, UAE
- Jaume Miquel Naudi, Chairman & CEO, Tendam, Spain
- Selvane Mohandas du Menil, Managing Director, IADS, France
- Stefania Lazzaroni, CEO, Altagamma, Italy
- Mina Fader, Managing Director, Jay H. Baker Retailing Center, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, USA
- Dr. Martyn Davies, Executive Advisor, Royal Commission for Riyadh City, KSA
- Emanuela Prandelli, PhD, LVMH Professor of Fashion and Luxury Management, Bocconi University, Italy
- Fahed Ghanim, CEO, Majid Al Futtaim – Lifestyle, UAE
- Sebastian Suhl, CEO, END., UK
“In a world that’s being rewired, the pursuit of growth has never been more strategic,” said Panos Linardos, Chairman of RLC Global Forum. “By selecting Riyadh once again, we are placing the Forum at the center of a region driving new forms of growth and exploring how these emerging hubs connect with established markets to shape the future of retail and trade.”
