Reuters NEXT Gulf Returns to Abu Dhabi
Reuters NEXT Gulf will return to Abu Dhabi on October 21, 2026, bringing senior policymakers, investors and business leaders together for its second edition. The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) will remain the exclusive host city partner for the next three years.
The summit follows its 2025 debut, which brought more than 600 senior executives from over 40 countries to Abu Dhabi. The event also reached 2 million viewers worldwide through its livestream.
Moreover, Reuters NEXT Gulf will examine issues shaping markets, policy and investment across the Gulf and beyond. The 2026 programme will expand with additional stages, executive roundtables, strategy sessions and networking opportunities.
Abu Dhabi Hosts Global Leadership Summit
Reuters NEXT Gulf will take place at The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi. The invitation-only summit will bring together decision-makers from business, government, finance and technology.
Furthermore, Reuters has positioned the summit around six broad areas. These include geopolitics, economy and markets, banking and finance, technology and AI, climate and sustainability, and corporate leadership.
The event’s World Stage will feature leadership discussions led by Reuters journalists. In addition, dedicated forums will address AI and technology, finance and the economy.
The summit also reflects Abu Dhabi’s expanding role as a platform for international economic dialogue. The emirate is developing major sectors including AI, financial services, advanced manufacturing, trade, logistics and new energy.
Technology, Finance and Geopolitics Take Centre Stage
Technology and AI will form a major part of the 2026 agenda. Reuters describes the Gulf as a region where AI deployment and new industries are expanding alongside economic diversification.
Meanwhile, financial innovation will remain central to the discussions. The summit’s finance and economy programming will examine developments affecting investment, markets and economic growth.
Geopolitical change will also shape the programme. The Gulf’s growing influence in global trade, investment and diplomacy gives regional developments wider economic consequences. Therefore, the summit provides a forum for leaders to examine these changes alongside business and technology trends.
Climate and sustainability will form another core theme. The discussions are expected to consider the region’s economic transformation and the pressures associated with climate change and resource security.
Reuters NEXT Gulf’s first edition featured more than 30 speakers on the World Stage. Among them were UAE Diplomatic Adviser Dr. Anwar Gargash, Emaar Founder and Chairman Mohamed Alabbar, European Union Special Representative for the Gulf Region Luigi Di Maio and Saudi Technology Ventures Founder and CEO Abdulrahman Tarabzouni.
The 2026 event will expand beyond the previous format. Reuters says the programme will include more stages, executive roundtables, vertical-specific strategy sessions and breakouts.
Abu Dhabi Strengthens Its Global Convening Role
The three-year host city partnership gives Abu Dhabi a longer-term role in the Reuters NEXT Gulf programme. Consequently, the emirate will remain the summit’s host through the 2028 edition.
The partnership also aligns with Abu Dhabi’s wider economic diversification strategy. The emirate continues to attract investment and develop industries beyond hydrocarbons, while positioning itself as a regional centre for finance, technology and advanced industry.
Josh London, Head of Reuters Professional, said: “In 2025, we brought Reuters NEXT to the Gulf because the region’s trajectory demands a summit equal to its ambition. In 2026, at a time of uncertainty across the Middle East, Reuters NEXT Gulf will give decision-makers unfiltered access to the people moving markets, shaping policy, managing risk and investing in the future.”
As a result, the 2026 summit will bring global business and policy discussions closer to a region undergoing rapid economic and technological change. It will also give executives a platform to assess how developments in AI, finance, geopolitics and sustainability could affect the next phase of global growth.
Reuters NEXT Gulf is scheduled for October 21, 2026, in Abu Dhabi. The event remains invitation-only, with applications available through the official Reuters NEXT Gulf platform.
