Yasir bin Othman Al-Rumayyan, Governor of Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Chairman of Saudi Aramco at FII Priority Miami 2026

 

By Jeannette Paulino, Middle East Section Editor

 

The energy at the Faena Forum and Faena Hotel last week was palpable. Over 2,000 leaders from 67 countries gathered in Miami for a three-day FII program under the theme “Capital in Motion,” spanning panels, fireside chats, private closed-door discussions, and a series of side events that extended across Miami Beach, Design District, and Brickell.

 

The conversations focused on where global capital is moving next and what hubs, cities, and sectors stand to benefit the most.

 

The conference did not shy away from the current geopolitical situation in the Middle East, the speakers leaned in noting their confidence in resiliency measures and rapid response taken by the GCC countries, and how this will make the region stronger than ever before. Investors, developers, and business leaders emphasized that this is a case of reset, agility, disciplined execution, and long-term positioning like any business would experience during an economic downturn.

 

Mohamed Alabbar, Founder, Emaar Properties; Founder, Noon.com from UAE shared “The GCC is a lot more resilient when working together.” Across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar, the region remains well positioned for long-term investment, even as higher returns are often accompanied by greater risk. FII highlighted “Disruption is a permanent feature of the global economy.”

 

 

FII brought business and government leaders who know the Latin America landscape well, dedicating the first day (Day 0) fully to investment opportunities in Latin America.

 

Across sessions, the region was consistently framed as a long term growth opportunity. Currently, as it stands, Latin America needs $40 trillion by 2030 to meet all its economic and infrastructure needs.

 

Abdulrahman Bakir from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment North Americas Office highlighted that the Kingdom is taking a proactive investment approach to allocate capital towards these developmental needs, while also supporting the Kingdom’s economic diversification and investment agenda aligned with their priority sectors. In South America, the Saudi Ministry of Investment is investing in agriculture and food security in Brazil, ICT in Costa Rica, Connectivity, ports, and logistics in Panama, lithium and rare earth metals in Argentina and Chile. Concrete examples Bakir highlighted include: Saudi-based Manara acquisition of a significant stake in a value-based metals company, Saudi Aramco’s investment downstream in Chile, $75 million financing hospital project in St Lucia, and a $50 million bridge in Costa Rica.

 

 

 

On the sidelines of the summit, Saudi Eksab signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Inter-American Development Bank to advance investment opportunities across Latin America, with an initial emphasis on Central America and the Caribbean, targeting both direct investments and early-stage venture opportunities.

 

Saudi Eksab also finalized a separate framework agreement with BTG Pactual, one of the largest investment firms in Latin America, to deepen collaboration across private markets. This partnership is designed to create a dedicated Latin America-focused alternative investment platform, effectively streamlining how Gulf capital enters the region’s emerging tech and infrastructure sectors.

 

Delcy Rodríguez Gómez, Acting President of Venezuela, joined virtually and spoke to the country’s economic direction and investment landscape, highlighting growing engagement from more than 120 energy companies spanning the United States, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Europe.

There is a noticeable shift in how LATAM is being discussed. It is less so about volatility, and more about execution with speed and capital. Less about potential, more about long-term upside.

 

 

Beyond Latin America, the following two days brought voices to the main stage to discuss the future of digital assets and financial systems, the evolving nature of work and human capital through 2050, how AI and agentic AI will continue to impact every sector, and where to place hospitality and tourism bets.

 

A recurring theme was the repositioning of cities as integrated investment systems, where long-term value is driven not just by individual assets, but by how ecosystems are built and sustained.

 

Leaders like Dina Powell Mccormick, President and Vice-Chair of META, John Pagano, CEO of Red Sea Global, and Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO of Diriyah Company, and Rayan Fayez, Deputy CEO of NEOM, are actively shaping investment strategy and large-scale development across the GCC, from AI initiatives to major sustainability projects.

 

 

At the same time, investors are becoming more selective in how they evaluate markets. Capital is increasingly flowing toward countries that demonstrate policy clarity, execution at scale, and strong alignment between public and private sector priorities.

 

A notable announcement made by Richard Attias, FII Chairman and Acting CEO was the launch of the Capital in Motion Index (CMI), a new global initiative designed to track how capital flows across borders, sectors, and technologies. This announcement signals a push toward transparency and precision in understanding where opportunity is emerging globally.

 

 

Artificial intelligence also featured prominently, not just as a technology trend, but as a core driver of efficiency, scale, and long-term competitive advantage across industries.

 

FII also continued its focus on innovation through the FII Innovators Pitch in partnership with MIT Solve, connecting startups in sectors most important for capital allocation, including artificial intelligence, sustainability, healthcare, and education with global investors and partners.

 
HUMAIN, a Public Investment Fund-backed AI company, announced a partnership with Turing, a fast growing AI company to launch what is being positioned as the world’s first enterprise AI agent marketplace. The platform is designed to help companies discover, deploy, and scale AI agents across their operations.

 

 

On the hospitality front, the Patel Family Office and AHQ announced a $1 billion hospitality platform, called AYARA, to develop 50 hotels across Saudi Arabia, catering specifically to the surge in business travel and the Kingdom’s rapid growth.

 

 

If there is one clear takeaway for the Exclusive Luxury Magazine community, it is this: capital is not slowing down. It is being redirected toward the most ambitious projects, regions with real assets, and opportunities aligned with long term national priorities.

 

Latin America is firmly part of that equation. The partnerships announced in Miami point to a deeper level of engagement between the Gulf, South Florida, and the region.

 

As those relationships continue to develop, Miami is well positioned to play a central role in how they take shape.

 

Upcoming interviews will feature some of the key leaders shaping today’s global investment and economic landscape.