First Speakers Announced for 2025 Future Hospitality Summit Saudi Arabia

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – 19 February 2025. The 2025 edition of the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Saudi Arabia, which is set to take place at Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh from 11-13 May 2025, has confirmed the first speakers for the region’s leading hospitality investment platform.

Organised by The Bench, FHS Saudi Arabia brings together hospitality leaders and decision-makers to discuss hotel performance and development, the outlook for hospitality investment in Saudi Arabia and the key market trends driving the sector, aiming for actionable outcomes that will transform the industry, which continues to witness unprecedented growth.

Confirmed speakers include leaders from some of the most dynamic hospitality brands, the real estate, asset management, investment and consulting community, international media, and government representatives. Among the confirmed names are HH Prince Bandar bin Saud bin Khalid Al Saud, Secretary General, King Faisal Foundation (KFF) & Chairman of the Board of Directors, Al Khozama; Sultan Bader Al-Otaibi, Chief Executive Officer, Taiba Investments; Waleed AlRashed AlHumaid, Chief Executive Officer, Alrajhi Capital; Omar Romero, Chief Development and Luxury Officer, MINOR Hotels; Muin Serhan, Chief Executive Officer, AMSA Hospitality; Abdullah Azhari, CEO & Managing Director, Saudi Icon Company; Steven Greenway, Chief Executive Officer, Flyadeal; Ron Pohl, President of International Operations, BWH Hotel Group & President, WorldHotels; Gregory Lanter, Group Deputy CEO, Club Med; Michael Acton Smith, Co-Founder & CEO, CALM; Glenn Mandziuk, Chief Executive Officer, World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, and Jake Haupert, Chief Executive Officer, Transformational Travel Council.

“The agenda for FHS Saudi Arabia is shaping up very nicely and we are excited to welcome our first distinguished speakers for what is set to be a stellar line up of leaders representing the hospitality investment community in Saudi Arabia and around the world,” said Tanja Millner, Production Director at The Bench.

“Under our theme ‘Where vision shapes opportunity,’ this year’s content tracks will include the future of hospitality in Saudi Arabia, building a sustainable tomorrow, hospitality investment, tomorrow’s lifestyle which includes the future of tourism and destination development, pathways to holistic wellness, restaurant investment and F&B experiences. In addition, the Education Investment Forum that is co-located with FHS Saudi Arabia this year, will look human capital and education investment, including a focus on bridging the gap between education and industry needs.”

For more information about Future Hospitality Summit, please visit the website here.

About The Bench

The Bench has built a legacy as a global curator of opportunity, designing transformative forums and summits that empower the hospitality and travel industries to connect, innovate, and thrive. With over two decades of expertise, The Bench creates platforms that go beyond transactions to inspire collaboration and drive meaningful change.

Each event brings together government leaders, tourism ministries, global travel associations, leading hospitality brands, hotel owners and investors, airlines, destination developers, and more. From flagship gatherings like FHS World (formerly AHIC) and FHS Saudi Arabia, to the Africa Hospitality Investment Forum (AHIF) and AviaDev, The Bench creates events where ideas spark, relationships deepen, and investments take flight.

The Bench thrives on fostering dynamic and forward-looking dialogues, uniting industry pioneers to address challenges, seize opportunities, and co-create the future. Each event is crafted to deliver more than just connections - it’s about transforming ideas into action and building a better tomorrow.

Discover more at thebench.com.

About FHS Saudi Arabia

Dates:                           11-13 May 2025

Location:                       Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Sponsors:                     Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh and Al Khozama Investment as Host Sponsors; Ministry of Tourism as Strategic Enabler; Taiba Investments as Founding Partner; Al Rajhi Bank, Amsa Hospitality, Elaf Group, NEOM, Red Sea Global, Rua Al Madinah, Saudi Icon, The Ascott, and Tourism Development Fund (TDF) as Strategic Partners; Accor, BWH Hotels, ClubMed, Italia Hospitality, Mariott International, Radisson Hotel Group, Rotana, and Sommet Education as Headline Sponsors; ARC-IDC, Aleph Hospitality, Ark People Solutions, AtkinsRealis, CBRE, Compass Project Consulting, Domus Managed Housing, Elena, H World International, IHCL, JLL, JT+P, Knight Frank, Louvre Hotels Group, Melia Hotels International, Minor Hotels, Quo, Story Hospitality, STR, The First Group, and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts as Sponsors; Hospitality Chain, Hospitality Management Holding, Neo Leap, Rove Hotels, Shaza Hotels, Sophos Hotels, Time Hotels, TV5Monde, Valor Hospitality Partners, and WhiteWater as Exhibitors.