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Last Wednesday, BMG Financial Group hosted the 17th edition of its economic forum with the theme “Why Saudi Arabia? Why now?” at the London Stock Exchange, to introduce investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia, with the participation of global investment bankers, CEOs, leaders of companies listed in London and Riyadh, and owners of family businesses.

The forum covered the investment prospects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that are attracting investors from around the globe.

Several important topics were discussed, such as regional and global geopolitical developments, giga-project updates, the evolution of the healthcare and AI sectors, the transformation of the Hajj and Umrah companies coupled with their listing on the Saudi stock market, and the benefits of dual listing in Riyadh and London.

On the giga-projects topic, Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority, delivered an overview via video of progress to date, with the completed 9 km of parks, the 42 new hotels, including the first, which will open its doors next September, and the Diriyah Futures Museum, one of nine, which will also open to the public this year.

The main faculty of speakers included Tom Attenborough, Manish Singh, Usama Kurdi, Ali Alireza, Ibrahim Al-Moajel, Abdalla Kablan, Carole Nakhle, Ahmed Sindi, Mohammad Merah, Abi Ajaya, Arsalan Karim, John Yip, Muddassar Ahmed and other leading business leaders.

We are living in an unprecedented dynamic era in Saudi Arabia.

As for choosing the City of London, it has been viewed as the world’s central hub for business gatherings and meetings, while the London Stock Exchange is the world’s oldest and is known to be a platform to launch and promote global investments. Furthermore, the forum is part of the so-called BMG summer retreat, which includes the BMG Foundation events including the GCC polo cups and the classical music concerts.

One of the important topics discussed during the forum was the transformation of the Hajj and Umrah sector including preparations for companies’ initial public offerings on the Saudi stock markets. This transformation will enhance these companies’ sustainability, corporate governance, transparency and wealth preservation for future generations of stakeholders.

In my opinion, we are living in an unprecedented dynamic era in Saudi Arabia. An era of great opportunities that are sustainable, unique, and promising over the medium and long-term horizons. I believe that the London Stock Exchange is an excellent platform to introduce these opportunities and that the BMG Economic Forum is becoming another heard voice to promote these opportunities.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to our partners, including Arab News, Haj Hussain Ali Reza, the exclusive dealer of Aston Martin in Saudi Arabia, Ashraqat, Ithraa Al-Khair, Nusuk and BIM Ventures.

Basil M.K. Al-Ghalayini is the chairman and CEO of BMG Financial Group.

In 1990, a few weeks after landing in London to start my asset management assignment with NCB, now SNB Capital, I went to my first-ever opera concert at Hyde Park performed by the late legend Luciano Pavarotti. Since then, attending opera concerts has become a frequent social outing for me in London and other European capitals.

Years later, under the umbrella of our BMG Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of BMG Financial Group, we launched Foundation Classics, an initiative to organize concerts in the Gulf and Middle Eastern capitals to showcase the beauty of classical music. As we witnessed our region confront the looming threat of being inundated by commercialized music that fails to elevate the tastes and sensibilities of our youth, it became the humble ambition of the BMG Foundation to restore balance and provide an arena for exposure to the wonders and beauty of classical opera.

Another mission of Foundation Classics is to discover and promote the work of exceptionally gifted composers and sopranos from the region, presenting them internationally. One of the talented artists I recently met was Sawsan Al-Bahiti, the first soprano in Saudi Arabia.

At the core of BMG Foundation's exemplary charitable and philanthropic work are its noble sponsors. Over the years, they have fulfilled their corporate social responsibility through the foundation's activities, and without their generous and distinguished contributions, such heights of success would never have been achieved.

Last Friday, I attended a breathtaking musical night starring the King of Opera, Andrea Bocelli, along with other leading artists, including Al-Bahiti, at Maraya Musical Hall in AlUla, one of the most magical cultural sites in Saudi Arabia.

As some of you may know, the maestro legend Bocelli is an Italian opera singer, songwriter, and record producer. He developed a passion for music as a young boy; his mother said music was the only thing that made him happy. He began piano lessons at 6 and later learned to play the flute, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, guitar, and drums. He received the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

If you've ever wondered what it's like to experience an adventure through time, marveling at some of the grandest architectural sights that date back more than 200,000 years, then AlUla is a must-visit. With its ancient historic cultural sites, gorgeous oasis valleys, and sandstone mountains, AlUla is truly a testament to human endeavor and natural beauty. Because of AlUla's uniqueness, Bocelli chose to perform a fifth time in the ancient oasis city.

Last Friday’s performance was stunning, combining AlUla’s magical ambiance with Bocelli’s majestic performance.

Basil M.K. Al-Ghalayini is the chairman and CEO of BMG Financial Group.