Photo Credit: WAM
More than 10,000 participants from over 60 countries are expected to attend the Sharjah Investment Forum (SIF 2026), which will take place on October 14 and 15 at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre in Sharjah.
The ninth edition of the forum, organised by the Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah) in collaboration with the Ministry of Investment, will be held under the theme “Building Adaptive Economies.”
SIF 2026 will feature more than 140 activities, including panel discussions, keynote addresses, workshops and over 80 dedicated business meetings. The programme will focus on how developments in global trade, technology, capital flows and supply chains are reshaping economies and creating new opportunities for investment and business expansion.
More than 80 international speakers and over 20 exhibitors are expected to participate, offering investors, companies and entrepreneurs access to insights, services and solutions supporting investment and growth.
The forum’s agenda will be structured around four key pillars: strategic leadership and economic adaptability; technology and smart solutions for industries; smart capital flows and supply chain resilience; and the future of communities and economic growth.
A major focus of the event will be direct business engagement. More than 80 meetings will connect investors, companies and small and medium-sized enterprises to explore financing, expansion, supply opportunities and potential commercial partnerships.
British entrepreneur and investor Simon Squibb will join the forum for a session titled “Thriving in an Era of Constant Change.” He is expected to discuss how resilience, entrepreneurship and the reinvention of business models can help companies adapt to rapidly changing markets.
Indian entrepreneur and AI developer Varun Mayya will also deliver a keynote address examining the growing influence of artificial intelligence on business and investment. His session will explore how AI is changing product development, company building and business expansion.
Marwan Saleh Alichla, Coordinator General of the SIF Committee, said changes affecting investment are increasingly interconnected across markets and sectors.
He said the forum aims to bring governments, investors and businesses together to exchange perspectives, identify opportunities and transform discussions into practical partnerships.
The event comes as Sharjah continues to strengthen its foreign direct investment performance. The emirate attracted AED7.74 billion in FDI across 142 projects in 2025, representing a 45 percent year-on-year increase in the number of projects and generating 5,673 new jobs.
SIF 2026 will place Sharjah’s investment experience within a broader international discussion covering capital movement, global trade, artificial intelligence, supply chain resilience and the infrastructure required to support emerging industries.
The forum will also examine what investors increasingly expect from competitive economies and how governments and businesses can build more flexible and resilient economic models for future growth.
