Power keeps a calendar. Between Davos in January and the G20 in December, a circuit of perhaps thirty recurring meetings decides what governments will argue about, what investors will fund, and what the press will spend the year explaining. This guide maps that circuit meeting by meeting — 30 conferences in 19 countries.
For each meeting: where it sits (or, for the rotating summits, where it goes next and on whose authority), the body that convenes it, and that body's leadership — verified name by name against 2025–26 sources, in the most turbulent leadership year the summit world has had: the World Economic Forum changed its president twice in ten months, Munich elected co-chairs, Aspen and Slush and the Singapore FinTech Festival all changed hands. Each entry states who attends, whether the media is inside the room, and how a place is obtained — by invitation, by application, or by registration. Where an organiser publishes no attendance figure, the entry says so; the two private gatherings in this guide publish almost nothing, and are printed as exactly that.
POLICY & GEOPOLITICS
1. WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM ANNUAL MEETING (DAVOS) — DAVOS-KLOSTERS, SWITZERLAND
Founded 1971 (World Economic Forum founded as the European Management Forum; Annual Meeting held in Davos since 1971) · Global policy and business summit
Calendar / next edition: Annual, in January. 2026 edition: 19–23 January 2026, Davos. Next edition date as officially published only — a January 2027 meeting is expected; the exact 2027 dates were not confirmed on the WEF official site in sources checked for this file
Convening body: World Economic Forum (WEF) — foundation / international organisation for public-private cooperation, headquartered in Cologny, Geneva
Leadership: Interim Co-Chairs of the Board of Trustees: Larry Fink (Chairman and CEO, BlackRock) and André Hoffmann (Vice-Chairman, Roche), appointed after founder Klaus Schwab stepped down in April 2025; Interim President and CEO: Alois Zwinggi, appointed February 2026 after Børge Brende (President and CEO, 2017–2026) stepped down. See notes on successive transitions.
Venue: Davos Congress Centre and venues across Davos
Scale (as published): Over 3,000 attendees at the 2026 Annual Meeting, as published in the WEF/Salesforce release for Davos 2026 (19–23 January 2026), including a record number of political leaders as reported by the Forum
Who attends: Heads of state and government, ministers, central bankers, CEOs and chairs of major companies, heads of international organisations, academics and media leaders — Forum members, partners and invited participants
Media / press: Largely open and livestreamed: plenary sessions are broadcast and extensively covered by accredited media; some private community sessions are closed
Distinctiveness: The archetypal January gathering of political and corporate leadership; also convenes the Annual Meeting of the New Champions ('Summer Davos') in China — noted here, not as a separate entry, per brief
Access / entry: Invitation / membership-based: participation is for WEF members, partners and specially invited participants; no open public registration
Website: https://www.weforum.org · Contact: World Economic Forum public affairs / contact route on weforum.org (press statement contact given as public.affairs@weforum.org)
SUCCESSION — three layers in under a year: (1) Klaus Schwab stepped down as Chair in April 2025; Peter Brabeck-Letmathe served as interim chair and later stepped down; Larry Fink and André Hoffmann became Interim Co-Chairs. (2) Børge Brende, President and CEO since 2017, stepped down in February 2026 following an independent review of his previously disclosed contacts with Jeffrey Epstein; the WEF statement said the review found no additional concerns beyond what had been previously disclosed. (3) Alois Zwinggi serves as Interim President and CEO while the Board oversees a search for a permanent successor; press reporting in October 2026 about a possible successor is NOT confirmed by the Forum and is not printed as fact here.
2. MUNICH SECURITY CONFERENCE (MSC) — MUNICH, GERMANY
Founded 1963 (founded by Ewald-Heinrich von Kleist as Internationale Wehrkunde-Begegnung) · Security policy forum
Calendar / next edition: Annual, in February. 62nd edition February 2026, Munich; 63rd edition February 2027, to be hosted by the incoming Co-Chairs
Convening body: Munich Security Conference Foundation (Stiftung Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz) / MSC gGmbH — foundation
Leadership: Chair for the 2026 (62nd) conference: Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger, Chair of the MSC and President of the MSC Foundation Council. Announced succession: Helga Maria Schmid and Jens Stoltenberg (Norway's Minister of Finance; former NATO Secretary General) unanimously elected co-equal, honorary Co-Chairs, to take over from Ischinger in good time ahead of the 63rd MSC in February 2027 (MSC announcement, September 2026). Vice-Chairman and CEO: Dr Benedikt Franke.
Venue: Hotel Bayerischer Hof, Munich (principal venue)
Scale (as published): MSC 2026, as published by the MSC: more than 40 heads of state and government, over 65 foreign ministers, more than 30 defence ministers and leaders from more than 40 international organisations attending; no single total participant figure published in the source checked
Who attends: Heads of state and government, foreign and defence ministers, senior military, heads of international organisations, parliamentarians, security experts, business and media
Media / press: Main programme open to accredited media and largely livestreamed / published; MSC states all MSC events are private, invitation events, with many bilateral and closed sessions off the record
Distinctiveness: The world's leading independent forum for international security policy, run on a 'peace through dialogue' principle, with debate held in the room rather than negotiated texts
Access / entry: Attendance is by invitation only; no public registration route is published
Website: https://securityconference.org · Contact: Organiser contact via securityconference.org; attendance is by invitation only; no public registration route is published
SUCCESSION CAUGHT — the brief's open question is resolved in two steps: (1) Stoltenberg was announced in 2024 to succeed Christoph Heusgen / take the chair after MSC 2025, then in February 2025 accepted appointment as Norway's Minister of Finance; the MSC stated he would assume the chair only after his public duties in Norway ended, with Ischinger continuing as Chair in the interim. (2) In September 2026 the Foundation announced a revised, joint model: Stoltenberg AND Helga Maria Schmid as co-equal Co-Chairs, handover ahead of February 2027. Ischinger therefore chaired MSC 2026; do not print Stoltenberg as sole 2026 chair.
3. UN CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE (COP) — ROTATING — 2026 HOST: ANTALYA, TÜRKIYE (2026)
Founded 1995 (COP1, Berlin, under the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) · Intergovernmental climate negotiations
Calendar / next edition: Annual, usually November. COP30: 10–22 November 2025, Belém, Brazil. COP31: 9–20 November 2026, Antalya, Türkiye (per UNFCCC Host Country Agreement)
Convening body: UNFCCC secretariat (UN Climate Change) — intergovernmental secretariat, with the host-country COP Presidency
Leadership: UNFCCC Executive Secretary: Simon Stiell. COP30 President (Belém, 2025): André Corrêa do Lago (Brazil). COP31: Türkiye as host, with Murat Kurum, Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, as COP31 President-Designate as reported in 2026; Australia's Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy, to serve as President of Negotiations under the Türkiye–Australia arrangement agreed at Belém
Venue: Rotating host-city convention facilities; COP31: Antalya, Türkiye (Host Country Agreement: sessions 9–20 November 2026; leaders' elements reported for Istanbul — see notes)
Scale (as published): Not published as a single organiser total for COP31 in sources checked. COPs are party negotiations of the 198 Parties to the Convention plus observer organisations; do not substitute press estimates for an organiser figure
Who attends: Delegations of Parties (nearly all UN member states), heads of state and government at the leaders' segment, UN agencies, intergovernmental and accredited observer NGOs, business and media
Media / press: Open to accredited media in plenary and press areas; negotiating contact groups and informals are closed to media and observers as per UNFCCC practice
Distinctiveness: The only entry in this guide that negotiates binding-process outcomes among states; the presidency, not a permanent chair, holds the gavel, and the host rotates among UN regional groups
Access / entry: Credentialled participation only: Party delegations and UNFCCC-accredited observers and media; no open public registration
Website: https://unfccc.int · Contact: UNFCCC secretariat contact and conference information via unfccc.int; participation is through Party delegations and accredited observer organisations — no public ticket registration
DISCREPANCY / UNUSUAL ARRANGEMENT FLAGGED: COP31 hosting was settled at COP30 by a compromise — Türkiye hosts in Antalya while Australia holds the Presidency of Negotiations role, with a pre-COP in the Pacific. Some Turkish official reporting also described Türkiye as host and chair and a leaders' summit in Istanbul; the UNFCCC Host Country Agreement itself confirms Antalya sessions 9–20 Nov 2026 and pre-sessional meetings 3–8 Nov 2026. The split presidency is unprecedented and is printed here as agreed, not simplified to 'Türkiye president' alone.
4. G20 LEADERS' SUMMIT — ROTATING — 2026 HOST: DORAL / MIAMI, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES (2026)
Founded 1999 (G20 founded at finance-minister level; leaders' summits since 2008) · Intergovernmental economic summit
Calendar / next edition: Annual. 2025 Leaders' Summit: 22–23 November 2025, Johannesburg, South Africa. 2026 Leaders' Summit: 14–15 December 2026 as announced, Doral, Florida
Convening body: The rotating G20 Presidency (host government) — intergovernmental forum with no permanent secretariat; 2026 Presidency: United States
Leadership: No permanent head. 2025 Presidency: South Africa (President Cyril Ramaphosa). 2026 Presidency: United States (President Donald Trump as host leader); US Treasury / White House organisation as published — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reported as organising the agenda in 2025 announcements
Venue: Rotating; 2026 as announced: Trump National Doral Miami, Doral, Florida
Scale (as published): Not published as an organiser attendance total. Membership is fixed: 19 countries plus the European Union and, since 2023, the African Union, plus invited guests at the Presidency's discretion
Who attends: Leaders of G20 members, the EU and AU, heads of international organisations (IMF, World Bank, WTO and others) and Presidency-invited guest countries
Media / press: Host-organised pooled and accredited media; leaders' sessions are closed, with opening remarks, press conferences and a final declaration published
Distinctiveness: The principal forum for international economic cooperation among systemically important economies; decisions are by consensus declaration, and the troika (past, current, next presidencies) provides continuity in place of a secretariat
Access / entry: Attendance is by invitation only (member and invited delegations); no public registration route is published
Website: G20 official site of the current Presidency (2026: United States G20 presidency site; presidency sites rotate annually) · Contact: Via the current Presidency's official G20 site and foreign ministry; attendance is by member / invited delegation only — no public registration route is published
DISCREPANCIES FLAGGED: (1) The 2025 Johannesburg summit proceeded with a leaders' declaration despite a United States boycott at leader level. (2) In November 2025 President Trump stated South Africa would not be invited to the 2026 summit; South Africa is a founding G20 member — its 2026 participation status is a political dispute, not a settled organiser fact, and is not printed here as an exclusion. Venue and dates are as announced by the President / reported from the White House in September 2025 (Doral, 14–15 Dec 2026).
5. APEC ECONOMIC LEADERS' MEETING AND APEC CEO SUMMIT — ROTATING — 2026 HOST: SHENZHEN, CHINA (2026)
Founded 1989 (APEC founded; Economic Leaders' Meeting since 1993; CEO Summit since 1996) · Intergovernmental economic leaders' meeting with business summit
Calendar / next edition: Annual, usually November. 33rd Economic Leaders' Meeting: 18–19 November 2026, Shenzhen; CEO Summit: 17–18 November 2026, Shenzhen; some 300 events across China in APEC 'China Year' 2026 as published by China's foreign ministry
Convening body: APEC — intergovernmental forum (APEC Secretariat, Singapore) with the host economy; CEO Summit 2026 hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT)
Leadership: No permanent summit chair: the host economy's leader chairs. 2026 host: China (President Xi Jinping as host leader). APEC Secretariat Executive Director serves as the forum's administrative head (name not re-verified against a 2026 APEC Secretariat source for this file — gap flagged in research notes). CEO Summit organiser: CCPIT
Venue: Shenzhen, Guangdong (Leaders' Meeting 18–19 November 2026; CEO Summit 17–18 November 2026)
Scale (as published): APEC CEO Summit 2026: around 1,000 political and business representatives from APEC economies, as published by CCPIT via Xinhua / gov.cn (September 2026). Leaders' Meeting itself: delegations of the 21 APEC member economies
Who attends: Leaders of the 21 APEC member economies, ministers, senior officials; at the CEO Summit, chief executives and business leaders from across the Asia-Pacific
Media / press: Host-organised accredited media; Leaders' Meeting sessions closed, with declarations and press conferences published; CEO Summit sessions are reported and partly broadcast
Distinctiveness: Non-binding, consensus-based 'open regionalism' among 21 Pacific Rim economies; the CEO Summit runs in parallel so business leaders meet leaders in the same city in the same week
Access / entry: Leaders' Meeting: delegation only. CEO Summit: invitation / host-organised business participation; no open public registration route is published
Website: https://www.apec.org (APEC Secretariat); 2026 host announcements via China's official gov.cn · Contact: APEC Secretariat / host-economy organising committee via apec.org; Leaders' Meeting by delegation only, CEO Summit by host invitation / registration through CCPIT — no open public ticket route published
Third time China has hosted APEC, and the first in 12 years (per Xinhua/gov.cn). 2026 APEC theme as published: 'Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together'; CEO Summit theme: 'Promoting prosperity together for a win-win future' — the two themes differ by event and are not conflated here.
6. IISS SHANGRI-LA DIALOGUE — SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE
Founded 2002 (first convened by the IISS; idea developed 25 years before the 2026 edition, per IISS opening remarks) · Defence and security summit
Calendar / next edition: Annual, late May / early June. 23rd edition: 29–31 May 2026, Singapore
Convening body: International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) — independent research institute, with the support of the Government of Singapore
Leadership: IISS Director-General and Chief Executive: Dr Bastian Giegerich (verified chairing plenaries at the 23rd Dialogue, 29–31 May 2026)
Venue: Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore
Scale (as published): Not published as a single organiser total in sources checked for the 2026 edition; the Dialogue is a ministerial-level gathering — a 2026 ministerial roundtable was reported with 35 defence ministers participating (QNA report)
Who attends: Defence ministers, chiefs of defence, senior military and intelligence officials, and security experts, principally from Asia-Pacific states plus the United States, Europe and others
Media / press: Plenary sessions are on the record, published as transcripts by the IISS and covered by accredited media; bilateral meetings and some sessions are private
Distinctiveness: Asia's premier defence summit — a Track 1 ministerial dialogue run by an independent institute rather than a government, used for public signalling (notably the US defence secretary's address) and bilateral defence diplomacy
Access / entry: Attendance is by invitation only; no public registration route is published
Website: https://www.iiss.org · Contact: IISS via iiss.org; attendance is by invitation only; no public registration route is published
No leadership change caught: Giegerich, in post since 2023, remained Director-General and Chief Executive through the 2026 Dialogue. No scale figure is asserted beyond the ministerial participation reported.
7. RAISINA DIALOGUE — NEW DELHI, INDIA
Founded 2016 · Geopolitics and geoeconomics conference
Calendar / next edition: Annual, in March (early March in 2026). 11th edition: March 2026, New Delhi, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Finland's President Alexander Stubb as chief guest / keynote
Convening body: Observer Research Foundation (ORF) — think tank, in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India
Leadership: ORF President: Samir Saran (also Curator, Raisina Dialogue); ORF Chairman: Sunjoy Joshi. Host government partner: India's Minister of External Affairs
Venue: Taj Palace Hotel and venues in New Delhi (2026 edition as reported)
Scale (as published): 2026 (11th) edition reported as convening participants from more than 130 countries (Asia Media Centre report from the opening); no single organiser participant total published in the ORF sources checked
Who attends: Heads of state and government, foreign ministers, senior officials, military leaders, business, technology leaders, academics and media from India and abroad
Media / press: Open and broadcast: sessions are livestreamed / published by ORF, with accredited media present; some conversations are held as closed sessions
Distinctiveness: India's flagship multilateral conference, modelled as a Global South counterpart to Davos/Munich, and the centrepiece of India's conference diplomacy
Access / entry: Curated participation by invitation / ORF registration; no open public registration route is published
Website: https://www.orfonline.org · Contact: ORF via orfonline.org (Raisina Dialogue forum pages); participation is curated / by invitation and registration through ORF — no open public ticket route published
No succession: Saran remains ORF President and Dialogue curator in 2026 sources; Joshi remains Chairman. Theme 2026 as published: 'Samskara: Assertion, Accommodation, Advancement'.
8. DOHA FORUM — DOHA, QATAR
Founded 2003 (held annually since 2003, per forum history) · Global policy forum
Calendar / next edition: Annual, in December. 23rd edition: 6–8 December 2025, Doha (dates as reported; opening 6 December 2025)
Convening body: State of Qatar (Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Permanent Committee for Organising Conferences) — government-convened forum, held under the patronage of the Amir of Qatar
Leadership: Patron: H.H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of Qatar. Forum leadership is exercised through Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed in 2025–26 by H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, who addressed the opening. No separate named forum president was published in sources checked — gap flagged
Venue: Doha (principal hotel venues as announced per edition; 2025 edition in Doha)
Scale (as published): 23rd edition (2025): more than 6,000 attendees from over 160 countries, including 471 speakers, as reported by Qatar Red Crescent Society from forum figures; theme 'Justice in Action: Beyond Promises to Progress' (also rendered 'Advancing Justice: From Promises to Tangible Reality' in that report — wording discrepancy flagged)
Who attends: Heads of state and government, foreign ministers, policymakers, humanitarian and development leaders, business and media
Media / press: Open and broadcast: plenaries are covered by international media and published online; Forum also runs media-partner sessions
Distinctiveness: Qatar's flagship convening for its mediation-centred foreign policy, pairing heads of government with humanitarian actors; the Doha Forum Award and, in 2025, the launch of a Humanitarian Diplomacy Unit were held on its margins
Access / entry: Attendance is by invitation / organiser-curated registration; no open public registration route is published
Website: Doha Forum official site (dohaforum.org) · Contact: Doha Forum organising committee via the official site; participation is by invitation / organiser registration — no open public ticket route published
Reuters reporting in October 2026 described the Doha Forum as Qatar's 'invitation-only' December forum — consistent with the access line above. Exact 2026 edition dates were not published in sources checked at the time of writing — gap flagged, not guessed.
9. WORLD GOVERNMENTS SUMMIT (WORLD GOVERNMENT SUMMIT) — DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Founded 2013 · Government and future-governance summit
Calendar / next edition: Annual, in February. 2026 edition: 3–5 February 2026, Dubai. Next edition as officially announced: 1–3 February 2027
Convening body: World Governments Summit Organisation — UAE government organisation
Leadership: Chairman of the World Governments Summit Organisation: Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs (verified in UAE official media office reporting, February 2026)
Venue: Dubai (Madinat Jumeirah area venues as used by the Summit organisation)
Scale (as published): 2026 edition: more than 6,250 participants, including over 60 heads of state and government (organiser figure as reported post-event; pre-event releases said over 45), more than 500 ministers, representatives from over 150 countries, more than 700 CEOs and 87 Nobel / scientific laureates, 445 sessions — figures as published by the Summit via Emirates News Agency reporting
Who attends: Heads of state and government, ministers, senior government officials, heads of international organisations, CEOs, Nobel and other scientific laureates, academics and media
Media / press: Fully open media posture: extensive accredited international media (840+ outlets reported for 2026), sessions broadcast and published; some ministerial meetings are closed
Distinctiveness: A governments-only convening at scale — built around ministers and heads of government rather than corporate membership, with a large published research and awards programme (e.g. Global Ministers Survey, best-minister and government-services awards)
Access / entry: Attendance is by invitation / organiser-curated registration; no open public registration route is published
Website: World Governments Summit official site (worldgovernmentsummit.org) · Contact: World Governments Summit Organisation via its official site; participation is by invitation / organiser registration — no open public ticket route published
Name: the organisation now styles the event 'World Governments Summit' (plural); older material uses 'World Government Summit' — both refer to the same Dubai summit. Pre- and post-event 2026 head-of-government counts differ (45+ announced, 60+ reported after) — the post-event organiser figure is used and the difference flagged.
10. BOAO FORUM FOR ASIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE — BOAO, QIONGHAI, HAINAN, CHINA
Founded 2001 (formally inaugurated 27 February 2001; first annual conference 2002) · Regional economic and policy forum
Calendar / next edition: Annual, in late March. 2025 Annual Conference: March 2025, Boao; 2026 Annual Conference: March 2026, Boao (25th anniversary year as reported)
Convening body: Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) — non-profit international organisation initiated by 26 Asian and Australasian states
Leadership: Chairman of the Board: Ban Ki-moon (former UN Secretary-General); Vice Chairman: Zhou Xiaochuan; Secretary-General: Zhang Jun (verified presiding at the 2025 annual conference and at BFA's January 2026 seminar)
Venue: Boao Forum for Asia International Conference Center, Boao (permanent venue since 2002); secretariat in Beijing
Scale (as published): Not published as a single organiser total in sources checked for 2025–26 editions
Who attends: Heads of government and senior ministers (principally Asian), central bankers, business leaders, academics and media
Media / press: Open plenaries and press conferences published by BFA; accredited media attend; some sessions are closed dialogue
Distinctiveness: Asia's Davos analogue with a permanent home — a state-backed but non-governmental forum whose fixed Boao campus contrasts with rotating Asian summits
Access / entry: Attendance is by BFA membership / invitation; no public registration route is published
Website: https://www.boaoforum.org · Contact: BFA Secretariat (Beijing) via boaoforum.org; participation is for BFA members and invited guests — no open public registration route is published
Leadership verified as briefed: Zhang Jun remains Secretary-General in January 2026 BFA reporting; Ban Ki-moon remains Chairman. No succession caught.
11. PARIS PEACE FORUM — PARIS, FRANCE
Founded 2018 · Global governance forum
Calendar / next edition: Annual, in autumn. 8th edition: 29–30 October 2025, Palais de Chaillot, Paris. 9th edition as published: 11–12 November 2026, Paris
Convening body: Paris Peace Forum association — non-profit association / permanent secretariat, founded on the initiative of Justin Vaïsse with French state support among founding members
Leadership: Founder: Justin Vaïsse. SUCCESSION 2026: Franck Paris, career diplomat, unanimously elected Director General to succeed Justin Vaïsse; Vaïsse moves to Chair (President) of the Forum's new Endowment Fund, ensuring long-term financial sustainability, and is returning to academia; President of the Forum's Executive Board: Philippe Étienne (as quoted in the appointment announcement)
Venue: Palais de Chaillot, Paris (2025 edition)
Scale (as published): 8th edition (2025): 4,000 participants, more than 15 heads of state and government, 25 ministers and 455–500 speakers across 81–85 sessions, as published by the Forum (speaker / session counts vary slightly between Forum releases: 455 speakers / 81 sessions in one, 500 speakers / 85+ sessions in another — discrepancy flagged)
Who attends: Heads of state and government, ministers, heads of international organisations, civil-society and project leaders, business, foundations and academics
Media / press: Open: sessions are public, streamed and covered by accredited media, with published highlights and press conferences
Distinctiveness: Built around concrete governance projects and coalitions rather than declarations: each edition selects Scale-Up projects to support for the following year, and the Forum incubates multi-stakeholder coalitions
Access / entry: Attendance is by invitation / curated registration (including project-holder and public registration for some places, as published per edition); see official site for the edition's route
Website: https://parispeaceforum.org · Contact: Paris Peace Forum via parispeaceforum.org; media enquiries media@parispeaceforum.org (as published in Forum press releases)
SUCCESSION CAUGHT, in two steps: December 2025 announcement said Vaïsse would become first President of the new Endowment Fund and step down as Executive Director/Director General during 2026, with recruitment launched; the subsequent appointment announcement names Franck Paris as successor and Vaïsse as Chair of the Endowment Fund. Older pages still list Vaïsse as 'Founder and Director General' — title depends on date; the 2026 appointment is the current fact.
12. BILDERBERG MEETING — ROTATING (EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA) — 2026: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (2026 HOST)
Founded 1954 (first meeting at the Hotel de Bilderberg, Oosterbeek, Netherlands) · Private transatlantic dialogue
Calendar / next edition: Annual, over several days in spring. 72nd meeting as reported: 9–12 April 2026, Washington, D.C.
Convening body: Bilderberg Meetings — private forum convened by its Steering Committee (foundation / association structure in the Netherlands and the United States)
Leadership: Steering Committee co-chairs as published / listed for the current period: Marie-Josée Kravis and Henri de Castries (Steering Committee chairmanship listing — see notes on conflicting secondary listings)
Venue: Rotating hotels; 2026 as reported: Salamander Washington DC Hotel, Washington, D.C.
Scale (as published): Not published: invitation-only meeting; the organiser publishes no attendance total or detailed agenda. See notes — a participant list and key topics are in fact published, which qualifies, but does not remove, this statement
Who attends: Invited political leaders, officials, and experts and executives from finance, industry, academia, media and communications, from Europe and North America — attending in a private capacity
Media / press: Closed: no media reporting of the discussions; the meeting operates under the Chatham House Rule — participants may use information received but may not identify the speaker or their affiliation; no press conferences or proceedings are published
Distinctiveness: The most private entry in this guide: a discussion forum, per its own description, with no resolutions, votes or policy statements, whose value is explicitly in off-the-record exchange between North America and Europe
Access / entry: Attendance is by invitation only; no public registration route is published
Website: https://bilderbergmeetings.org · Contact: Attendance is by invitation only; no public registration route is published
DISCREPANCY WITH THE BRIEF'S PREMISE, FLAGGED PLAINLY: the brief instructed 'no attendance or agenda published'. In fact the organiser DOES publish, shortly before each meeting, a participant list and a list of key topics (2026: a list of 128 participants and topics including AI, China, Europe, Ukraine and the future of warfare, per meeting reports). What is NOT published is any detailed agenda, transcript, proceedings, resolution or attributable record, and there is no organiser attendance total beyond that list. Scale is therefore printed as 'Not published' per house instruction, with this correction on the record. Co-chair listings also conflict between sources (Kravis cited as current chair in 2026 accounts; Kravis and de Castries listed together elsewhere) — printed jointly with this flag.
FINANCE & MARKETS
13. MILKEN INSTITUTE GLOBAL CONFERENCE — BEVERLY HILLS / LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES
Founded 1998 (first Milken Institute Global Conference; Institute founded 1991) · Finance, health and policy leadership conference
Calendar / next edition: Annual, in May. 29th Global Conference: 3–6 May 2026, Beverly Hills / Los Angeles
Convening body: Milken Institute — non-profit, non-partisan think tank / institute
Leadership: Founder and Chairman: Michael R. Milken; Chief Executive Officer: Richard Ditizio (verified as CEO in the Institute's 2026 Global Conference releases)
Venue: The Beverly Hilton and Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, California
Scale (as published): 2026 (29th) conference, as published by the Institute: more than 1,000 speakers and 4,000 participants
Who attends: Heads of state, ministers, CEOs, institutional investors, asset managers, scientists, health and philanthropy leaders
Media / press: Largely open: sessions are livestreamed / published by the Institute and covered by accredited media; some private roundtables are closed
Distinctiveness: A capital-and-philanthropy convening rather than a pure finance forum: finance sessions sit alongside global health, medical research and philanthropy programmes run by the Institute year-round
Access / entry: Invitation / application-based registration for delegates and members; not an open public ticket event as published
Website: https://milkeninstitute.org/events/global-conference-2026 · Contact: Milken Institute via milkeninstitute.org (Global Conference event pages)
No succession: Ditizio remains CEO and Milken Chairman in 2026 releases.
14. FUTURE INVESTMENT INITIATIVE (FII) — RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA
Founded 2017 (first Future Investment Initiative, Riyadh) · Investment conference
Calendar / next edition: Annual, in late October. 10th edition (FII10): 26–29 October 2026, Riyadh, as published in the FII10 factsheet; a hybrid / remote-participation option was reported by Reuters on 13 Oct 2026 after attacks in the region (see notes)
Convening body: FII Institute — non-profit foundation (established in Saudi Arabia; originating in the Public Investment Fund's FII programme)
Leadership: Chairman, FII Institute: H.E. Yasir O. Al-Rumayyan (Governor, Public Investment Fund; Chairman, Saudi Aramco). SUCCESSION/ROLE CHANGE: Richard Attias is Chairman of the Executive Committee and Founder & Chairman of Richard Attias & Associates; Chief Executive Officer of the FII Institute in 2026 sources: H.R.H. Dr Maha bint Mishari Al Saud — Attias is no longer presented as CEO (see notes)
Venue: King Abdulaziz International Conference Center, Riyadh
Scale (as published): Not published as a single exact organiser total for FII10 in sources checked; organisers described welcoming 'thousands of delegates' for the 10th edition (Reuters, October 2026) — no exact figure printed
Who attends: Heads of state and government, sovereign wealth and institutional investors, global bank and asset-management CEOs, technology founders and Saudi officials
Media / press: Open and broadcast: plenaries are streamed and covered by international media; some investor roundtables are closed
Distinctiveness: Commonly styled 'Davos in the Desert'; a deal-announcement platform anchored in Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund ecosystem, now run as a year-round institute with regional editions
Access / entry: Invitation / application via FII Institute membership and registration as published; flagship conference attendance is curated
Website: https://fii-institute.org · Contact: FII Institute via fii-institute.org (registration / membership enquiries)
ROLE CORRECTION vs the brief, which paired Attias with the Institute as its head: the FII10 factsheet layout places Attias as Chairman of the Executive Committee and a separate CEO line, and Reuters (13 Oct 2026) quotes 'CEO Maha Al Saud and Richard Attias, chairman of the executive committee' jointly — the current reading is CEO = Maha Al Saud, Attias = Executive Committee Chairman. DISCREPANCY: Reuters also reported a plan in October 2026 to add a hybrid format after attacks; the conference remained scheduled for Riyadh on the factsheet dates at time of checking.
15. SINGAPORE FINTECH FESTIVAL (SFF) — SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE
Founded 2016 · Fintech festival / financial technology conference
Calendar / next edition: Annual, in November. 2025: 10th edition, November 2025. 2026: 18–20 November 2026, Singapore
Convening body: Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), with Constellar — central bank / not-for-profit network / commercial exhibition organiser
Leadership: Organising leadership as published for 2025–26: Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) — Kenneth Gay, Chief FinTech Officer, MAS; GFTN — Sopnendu Mohanty, Group Chief Executive Officer, GFTN; Constellar — Chua Wee Phong, Group Chief Executive Officer, Constellar
Venue: Singapore EXPO, Singapore
Scale (as published): Not published as a single organiser attendance total in the 2025–26 releases checked; the Festival is described by its partners as the world's largest fintech festival — no number printed without an organiser figure and year
Who attends: Central bankers and regulators, fintech founders, bank and payments executives, investors, technology companies and academics
Media / press: Open: accredited media, published programme and press releases; exhibition floor public to registered attendees
Distinctiveness: A regulator-anchored fintech festival at exhibition scale — policy (MAS), forums network (GFTN, successor to Elevandi) and a commercial exhibition organiser (Constellar) in one structure, which is why its leadership is three-headed
Access / entry: Open registration (paid), with complimentary passes for governments, policymakers, central banks, academics, students, multilateral agencies, non-profits and foundations, as published for 2026
Website: https://www.fintechfestival.sg · Contact: Via fintechfestival.sg registration pages (registration for SFF 2026 open as published)
ORGANISER ARRANGEMENT VERIFIED AND UPDATED vs the brief: Elevandi (MAS's former not-for-profit) has been succeeded in this role by the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), established by MAS in 2024; SFF is described by GFTN as the flagship event of its global network of forums. MAS remains a co-organiser and Constellar the exhibition / event partner. No single festival director is published — leadership is printed by body.
16. QATAR ECONOMIC FORUM, POWERED BY BLOOMBERG — DOHA (WITH A 2026 SPECIAL EDITION IN NEW YORK), QATAR
Founded 2021 (first Qatar Economic Forum, held virtually; in-person from 2022) · Economic / investment forum (editorial media forum)
Calendar / next edition: Annual, usually May. 6th edition was scheduled 12–14 May 2026, Doha, then POSTPONED in April 2026 to later in 2026 (new Doha dates to be confirmed as published); a QEF: UNGA Special Edition was held in New York on 20 September 2026
Convening body: Bloomberg Media (media company), held in collaboration with Qatar's Ministry of Commerce and Industry; previously with Media City Qatar as host partner
Leadership: Forum Organising Committee Chair (2025): Sheikh Dr Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani, Chairman, Media City Qatar. Editorial lead: Bloomberg Media / Bloomberg News. Founder of Bloomberg L.P.: Michael R. Bloomberg. No single Forum CEO is published — gap flagged
Venue: Doha (hotel venues as announced per edition); 2026 special edition: New York
Scale (as published): 2025 forum: more than 3,000 international delegates from 95 countries, as published by the Forum for the prior year in its 2026 announcement (also reported as 3,000+ in-person attendees from 90+ countries for 2025 in other reporting — country count differs by source, flagged)
Who attends: Heads of state, ministers, sovereign investors, global CEOs and investors
Media / press: Fully open / broadcast: editorially curated by Bloomberg News, sessions televised and published by Bloomberg
Distinctiveness: An editorially led forum — Bloomberg News curates the programme, so sessions run as on-record broadcast interviews rather than panel speeches, in a host state marketing itself as a capital hub
Access / entry: Attendance is by invitation only; requests for an invitation via qef@bloomberg.net as published in Forum material
Website: https://www.qatareconomicforum.com · Contact: Request an invitation via qef@bloomberg.net as published in QEF 2026 material
CALENDAR DISCREPANCY CAUGHT: February 2026 announcements set 12–14 May 2026 in Doha; an April 2026 announcement postponed the Forum to later in 2026 citing regional developments, with new dates 'to be confirmed in due course'. The May dates must not be printed as having taken place. A separate UNGA Special Edition in New York (20 Sept 2026) did proceed.
17. FORTUNE GLOBAL FORUM — ROTATING — 2025: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (2025 HOST)
Founded 1995 (Fortune Global Forum first held in Singapore) · Global business forum (media company forum)
Calendar / next edition: Annual, autumn (rotating city). 2025: 26–27 October 2025, Riyadh. 2026 host city / dates: not published in sources checked — gap flagged, not guessed
Convening body: Fortune Media (Fortune) — media company; 2025 edition with Saudi partner the Saudi Conventions and Exhibitions General Authority (SCEGA)
Leadership: Chief Executive Officer, Fortune Media: Anastasia Nyrkovskaya (verified in Fortune's 2025 forum releases); Editor in Chief and Chief Content Officer: Alyson Shontell (2025 releases)
Venue: Rotating host-city venues; 2025: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (venues as announced by Fortune)
Scale (as published): Not published as an organiser attendance total in sources checked for the 2025 edition
Who attends: CEOs and senior executives of Fortune Global 500 companies, government and policy leaders, investors and innovators
Media / press: Open and reported: sessions covered by Fortune and other accredited media and published by Fortune; some CEO-only sessions are closed
Distinctiveness: Fortune's CEO convening built around the Fortune 500 / Global 500 community — the ranking franchise is the draw, and the forum rotates to where Fortune judges business gravity to be moving (Riyadh in 2025)
Access / entry: Attendance is by invitation; no open public registration route is published
Website: Fortune official site — conferences pages (fortune.com) · Contact: Fortune Live Media via fortune.com conference pages; attendance is by invitation — no open public ticket route published
2026 GAP: no 2026 host city or dates were found in Fortune or reputable press sources checked for this file — printed as a gap rather than assuming a return city. Leadership as briefed (Nyrkovskaya) is confirmed for 2025.
18. BLOOMBERG NEW ECONOMY FORUM — SINGAPORE (HISTORIC HOME) — 2026: NEW DELHI, INDIA (2026 HOST); SINGAPORE (PRIOR EDITIONS)
Founded 2018 · Economic / business forum (media company forum)
Calendar / next edition: Annual, usually November. 2025 edition: 19–21 November 2025, Singapore (as scheduled). 2026 edition: 13–15 October 2026, New Delhi — FIRST edition in India, a change of host city (see notes)
Convening body: Bloomberg Media / Bloomberg New Economy — media company
Leadership: Founder: Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies. Advisory Board co-chairs announced April 2025: Gina Raimondo (former US Secretary of Commerce) and Mario Draghi (former Prime Minister of Italy and former President of the European Central Bank)
Venue: Rotating; 2025: Singapore; 2026: New Delhi, India
Scale (as published): 2026 edition: over 500 international private and public sector leaders joining, as published in Bloomberg New Economy's 12 October 2026 final speaker announcement for New Delhi
Who attends: Multinational CEOs, financiers, former and serving public officials, technology and climate leaders
Media / press: Open and broadcast: Bloomberg televises / publishes sessions and issues full speaker announcements; participation itself is invitation-only
Distinctiveness: Bloomberg's counterpart Davos for the 'new economy' powers — founded to give emerging-economy leaders equal billing with the US and Europe, with an advisory board of former heads of government and global CEOs
Access / entry: Attendance is by invitation only; no public registration route is published
Website: https://www.bloombergneweconomy.com · Contact: Bloomberg New Economy via bloombergneweconomy.com; attendance is by invitation only; no public registration route is published
HOST-CITY DISCREPANCY vs the brief ('Singapore'): Singapore was the forum's home through 2025, but the organiser announced the 2026 forum for New Delhi, 13–15 Oct 2026, with 'over 500 international private and public sector leaders' expected — the entry therefore lists Singapore as historic home and New Delhi as the 2026 host, per the organiser.
19. THE EUROPEAN HOUSE — AMBROSETTI FORUM (VILLA D'ESTE FORUM, CERNOBBIO) — CERNOBBIO, LAKE COMO, ITALY
Founded 1975 (Forum founded by Alfredo Ambrosetti) · Economics and strategy forum
Calendar / next edition: Annual, first weekend of September (Friday–Sunday). 2026 edition: September 2026, Cernobbio (52nd edition series dating from 1975)
Convening body: The European House — Ambrosetti (TEHA Group) — management consulting firm / think tank and commercial organiser
Leadership: Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer, The European House — Ambrosetti and TEHA Group: Valerio De Molli (verified on the organiser's Cernobbio Forum 2026 page, with his published contact address)
Venue: Villa d'Este, Cernobbio
Scale (as published): Not published for the Cernobbio Forum in sources checked
Who attends: Italian and European heads of government and ministers, EU officials, central bankers, CEOs of major Italian and multinational companies, economists and opinion leaders
Media / press: Closed working sessions with results presented at press conferences; accredited media attend briefings, proceedings are not fully published
Distinctiveness: Italy's Davos: a working forum where TEHA presents 20+ commissioned studies to a closed room of Italian and European decision-makers, with results briefed to press rather than debated in public
Access / entry: Attendance is by invitation only; no public registration route is published
Website: https://www.ambrosetti.eu · Contact: TEHA Group / The European House — Ambrosetti, Milan office: ambrosetti@ambrosetti.eu, tel. +39 02 46753.1 (as published on the organiser's forum page); attendance is by invitation only
No succession: De Molli remains Managing Partner & CEO in 2026 organiser material. Forum scale figures are not published by the organiser for Cernobbio specifically (figures on the organiser's site for its Technology Forum are a different event and are not used here).
20. CONCORDIA ANNUAL SUMMIT — NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
Founded 2011 (Concordia founded; first Annual Summit 2011) · Public-private partnership summit
Calendar / next edition: Annual, in September, parallel to the UN General Assembly. 2026 Annual Summit: 20–23 September 2026, New York
Convening body: Concordia Summit, Inc. (Concordia) — non-partisan, non-profit (501(c)(3)) membership organisation
Leadership: Co-Founders: Matthew A. Swift and Nicholas M. Logothetis. SUCCESSION 2026: Matthew Swift, Co-Founder, President & CEO, transitions to Executive Chairman, and Rodney Ferguson becomes President & CEO — announced 29 July 2026, with Ferguson as CEO Designate until the transition took full effect on 1 October 2026 (after the 2026 Summit)
Venue: Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel, New York (2026 Summit as reported)
Scale (as published): Not published as a single organiser attendance total in sources checked for the 2026 Summit
Who attends: Heads of state and government in New York for UNGA, global CEOs, investors, philanthropists, NGO and social-enterprise leaders
Media / press: Open: sessions are published / streamed by Concordia and covered by accredited media; some membership and roundtable sessions are private
Distinctiveness: Timed and placed to intercept UNGA week: the largest non-partisan private-sector forum parallel to the UN General Assembly, built explicitly to broker public-private partnerships rather than issue declarations
Access / entry: Membership / ticketed registration via Concordia as published; Annual Summit places are allocated through membership and registration, not open walk-in
Website: https://www.concordia.net · Contact: Concordia via concordia.net; media contact for the 2026 leadership announcement: Mateo Carvajal González, Media Relations Manager, mcarvajal@concordia.net (as published)
SUCCESSION CAUGHT, timed precisely: at the September 2026 Summit Swift was still President & CEO (reporting of the Summit names him in that role); from 1 October 2026 Ferguson is President & CEO and Swift Executive Chairman. Concordia's own current bio page already styles Swift 'Co-Founder and Executive Chairman'.
21. ALLEN & COMPANY SUN VALLEY CONFERENCE — SUN VALLEY, IDAHO, UNITED STATES
Founded 1983 (Allen & Company Sun Valley retreat held annually since 1983) · Private media, technology and finance retreat
Calendar / next edition: Annual, in July (about a week). 2026 edition: week of 7–11 July 2026, Sun Valley, Idaho (arrivals from 7 July 2026 as reported)
Convening body: Allen & Company LLC — private investment bank (commercial / private organiser)
Leadership: Convened by Allen & Company, the private investment bank. No individual conference chair is published by the organiser; the firm's leadership is not published in connection with the conference in sources checked — gap flagged, no name guessed
Venue: Sun Valley Lodge / Sun Valley Resort, Sun Valley, Idaho
Scale (as published): Not published: no attendance figure is published by the organiser, and no agenda is published by the organiser
Who attends: Invited chief executives and owners in media, technology and finance, investors, and selected political figures — as observed in press coverage of arrivals; no official guest list is published by the organiser
Media / press: Closed: no accredited media programme, no published sessions; coverage consists of press photography of arrivals and reporting based on a guest list obtained by Variety and other outlets
Distinctiveness: Deliberately opaque: the organiser promotes nothing and publishes nothing, yet the retreat is credited in reporting with incubating major deals (Disney–ABC, Bezos–Washington Post, Verizon–AOL/Yahoo are the standard reported examples)
Access / entry: Attendance is by invitation only; no public registration route is published
Website: No conference website is published by the organiser (Allen & Company corporate site only) · Contact: Attendance is by invitation only; no public registration route is published
Printed as instructed for this guide: invitation-only, with no published attendance and no published agenda. Press-obtained guest lists (Variety, as reported each year) are NOT an organiser publication and are not used as a scale figure. 2026 reporting noted the presence of both outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook and incoming CEO John Ternus.
TECHNOLOGY & IDEAS
22. WEB SUMMIT — LISBON, PORTUGAL
Founded 2009 (founded in Dublin; held in Lisbon since 2016) · Technology conference
Calendar / next edition: Annual, in November. 2025: 10–13 November 2025 (10th year in Lisbon). 2026 edition dates as published on the organiser's site only — not confirmed in sources checked, gap flagged
Convening body: Web Summit (Connected Intelligence / Web Summit company) — commercial conference organiser
Leadership: Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer: Paddy Cosgrave — verified as CEO opening the 2025 Lisbon edition. He resigned as CEO in October 2023 and returned as CEO in 2024; he was again in the CEO role for 2025, as reported from the opening ceremony
Venue: Altice Arena (MEO Arena) and Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL), Lisbon
Scale (as published): 2025 Lisbon: 71,386 attendees from 157 countries, including 1,857 investors and 2,725 exhibiting startups, as published by the organiser (figures reported from Web Summit's own release)
Who attends: Startup founders, technology executives, investors, policymakers, media and students
Media / press: Fully open: extensive accredited media, published speaker programme and organiser attendance releases
Distinctiveness: Scale as strategy: the largest tech gathering in Europe by organiser attendance, run by a private conference company that also operates sister events in Doha (Web Summit Qatar), Rio de Janeiro and Vancouver
Access / entry: Open registration (paid tickets, with startup / investor application routes)
Website: Web Summit official website (websummit.com) · Contact: Web Summit via its official website (ticket and partner registration)
LEADERSHIP VERIFIED post-resignation/return: Cosgrave is CEO in the November 2025 sources (quoted as 'CEO Paddy Cosgrave' / 'Web Summit CEO Paddy Cosgrave'). The interim CEO period (Katherine Maher, 2023–24) is closed. Exact November 2026 dates were not in the sources checked — gap flagged rather than assumed from the usual pattern.
23. SLUSH — HELSINKI, FINLAND
Founded 2008 (first Slush, Helsinki, about 250–300 participants) · Startup event
Calendar / next edition: Annual, in November. 2026: 18–19 November 2026, Helsinki
Convening body: Slush Oy / Slush organisation — not-for-profit organisation owned by the Startup Foundation (Finnish foundation)
Leadership: SUCCESSION 2026: Chief Executive Officer: Noora Saksa, appointed 27 January 2026 (Slush official announcement), leading with Charlotte Alholm (President), Santtu Vaalamo (Chief Growth Officer), Kasper Mäkelä (COO) and Anshul Mahajan (CTO). She succeeds Aino Bergius, who was CEO for the 2025 edition
Venue: Messukeskus (Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre), Helsinki
Scale (as published): Slush's published figures: 13,000 attendees, including 5,500 startups and scaleups, 3,000 investors, 300 media and 200 speakers (organiser media page; 2025 reporting gave 3,100+ startups, 1,800 investors and 650 journalists from 130+ countries — organiser figures differ by edition / definition, flagged)
Who attends: Early-stage startup founders, venture-capital and other investors, technology executives, partners and media
Media / press: Open: accredited media are a published audience category (300 media in Slush's figures); sessions and announcements are published by Slush
Distinctiveness: Run by students and recent graduates with a volunteer corps the organiser puts at 1,600–1,800, and owned by a foundation — a 'founder factory' whose own alumni study (with Accel and Dealroom) reports 15% of former team members went on to found companies
Access / entry: Curated / application-based: companies apply and applications are reviewed by the Slush team as published in its 2026 FAQ reporting; ticketed within that curation
Website: https://slush.org · Contact: Slush via slush.org (pre-registration / application route as published)
SUCCESSION CAUGHT vs the brief's open question ('Aino Bergius?'): Bergius was CEO through 2025 (quoted as CEO in Slush's own 2025 speaker launch and October 2025 press), but Slush's official 27 January 2026 release names Noora Saksa, 25, a Slush volunteer since 2021, as the new CEO. Scale discrepancy flagged: Slush's media page gives 13,000 attendees (5,500 startups, 3,000 investors); its 2026 material projects a downsized audience (around 12,000+, 5,800 startups and 3,300 investors per 2026 FAQ reporting) after a deliberate 10% cut announced with Saksa's appointment.
24. LEAP — RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA
Founded 2022 (first LEAP, Riyadh) · Technology conference and exhibition
Calendar / next edition: Annual. Fifth edition (LEAP 2026): 31 August–3 September 2026, Riyadh (a change from its original spring slot in earlier editions — as reported for 2026)
Convening body: Tahaluf (Informa joint venture, commercial organiser), co-organised with Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP)
Leadership: Co-organiser leadership: Mike Champion, Chief Executive Officer of Tahaluf and Co-Creator of LEAP (verified in the organiser's 2026 closing release)
Venue: Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center, Malham (RECC Malham), Riyadh
Scale (as published): 2026 fifth edition, as published in the organiser's closing release: 1,323 speakers, 1,397 investors from 1,027 firms across 72 countries, more than 1,500 exhibitors and 1,294 companies in the exhibition / startup programme; no single total attendance figure was published in that release — none is printed
Who attends: Global technology company executives, Saudi government and Vision 2030 entities, investors, startups and exhibitors
Media / press: Open: accredited international media, published speaker programme and organiser releases; exhibition floor open to registered attendees
Distinctiveness: A state-backed technology mega-event used as a deal-announcement stage for Saudi Vision 2030 — the organiser reports investment announcements ($15 billion on day one of the 2026 edition) as its headline output
Access / entry: Open registration (paid), with exhibitor and startup programme applications
Website: LEAP official website (leapandinnovate.com / onegiantleap.com as used by the organiser) · Contact: Tahaluf / LEAP via the official LEAP website (registration and exhibitor enquiries)
Organiser lineage: Tahaluf is the Saudi joint venture involving Informa; the 2026 closing material credits MCIT, SAFCSP and Tahaluf as co-organisers. Dates moved for 2026 (Aug–Sept) versus the February/March timing of earlier editions — printed as reported for 2026, not as a permanent calendar rule.
25. ASPEN IDEAS FESTIVAL — ASPEN, COLORADO, UNITED STATES
Founded 2005 (first Aspen Ideas Festival) · Ideas festival
Calendar / next edition: Annual, in late June. 2026 Festival: June 2026, Aspen (Aspen Ideas: Health opened 22 June 2026 per the published schedule; the Festival followed that week)
Convening body: The Aspen Institute — non-profit institute (with media partner historically The Atlantic for the Festival's founding format)
Leadership: Aspen Institute SUCCESSION 2026: President and CEO Dan Porterfield served through 2 July 2026 (his final Aspen Ideas Festival); Maria Laura Acebal (Executive Vice President for Strategy and Corporate Secretary) serves as Interim President and CEO from 3 July to 31 October 2026; Dr Ángel Cabrera, President of Georgia Tech, begins as President and CEO on 1 November 2026 (Aspen Institute announcement, 15 June 2026)
Venue: Aspen Institute campus, Aspen Meadows, Aspen, Colorado (Greenwald Pavilion and festival tents)
Scale (as published): Not published as a single organiser attendance total in sources checked for the 2026 Festival
Who attends: Public-policy, business, science, arts and media leaders, academics, authors and a paying public audience
Media / press: Fully open: sessions are filmed and published by Aspen Ideas, with accredited media attending
Distinctiveness: The American ideas festival in the original: a non-profit institute's campus gathering whose sessions are published in full as video, extending the event well beyond the ticketed room
Access / entry: Ticketed (paid passes via the Aspen Institute); some sessions are application / scholars-based as published
Website: https://www.aspenideas.org · Contact: Aspen Ideas / Aspen Institute via aspenideas.org (attend / pass pages)
SUCCESSION CAUGHT in full: the brief named Porterfield, who is correct for the Festival itself (June 2026) but had already announced departure to become CEO of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. The Institute's sequence — Porterfield to 2 July, Acebal interim, Cabrera from 1 Nov 2026 — is printed with dates so the entry stays correct across the transition.
26. SXSW CONFERENCE — AUSTIN, TEXAS, UNITED STATES
Founded 1987 (first SXSW; Interactive strand since 1994) · Conference and festival (interactive / technology, film & TV, music)
Calendar / next edition: Annual, in March. 2026 edition: March 2026, Austin, in a shortened seven-day format (versus nine days in 2025) as reported at the 2025 restructuring
Convening body: SXSW, LLC — commercial organiser, majority-owned (51%) by Penske Media Corporation (Penske Media Eldridge), with co-founder ownership retained
Leadership: SUCCESSION / RESTRUCTURING 2025: Hugh Forrest, President and Chief Programming Officer (at SXSW 35 years; sole President from December 2024), departed in April 2025. Penske Media stated its board had elected Jenny Connelly (long-serving PMC executive and SXSW board member) to lead SXSW as 'Director in Charge'; Forrest disputed the characterisation, saying leaving was not his decision and that he had been told he would not get the CEO role and would report to Connelly. Former CEO Roland Swenson had moved to an executive chairman role in 2022. No CEO of SXSW is named in 2025–26 sources checked — gap flagged
Venue: Austin Convention Center historically and downtown Austin hotels / venues (2026: dispersed downtown venues while the Convention Center is rebuilt, to 2029)
Scale (as published): Not published as an organiser total for the 2026 edition in sources checked; 2025 attendance was reported as having declined versus prior years (Austin reporting) — no figure printed
Who attends: Technology and interactive professionals, founders, investors, filmmakers, musicians, brands and media
Media / press: Open: extensive accredited media; conference keynotes and featured sessions are published / streamed by SXSW
Distinctiveness: A conference inside a citywide festival: the SXSW Conference sits within concurrent film, TV, music and comedy programming, so technology sessions compete with premieres and showcases across downtown venues
Access / entry: Open registration (paid badges / wristbands by category), with programming partly selected through the PanelPicker public proposal and voting process
Website: SXSW official website (sxsw.com) · Contact: SXSW LLC via the official SXSW website (badge registration and PanelPicker)
LEADERSHIP DISPUTE FLAGGED, both versions printed: PMC's account (Forrest chose to leave after not being made CEO) and Forrest's account (forced out) conflict in reputable reporting (NYT via TheWrap; Billboard). Venue disruption also flagged: the Austin Convention Center, SXSW's traditional hub, is closed for redevelopment until 2029, dispersing 2026 programming across downtown hotels and venues. Exact 2026 attendance was not published in sources checked.
27. DREAMFORCE — SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
Founded 2003 · Enterprise software / customer conference
Calendar / next edition: Annual, in September. 2026: 15–17 September 2026, San Francisco
Convening body: Salesforce, Inc. — commercial organiser (company conference)
Leadership: Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Salesforce: Marc Benioff (co-founder), who delivered the Dreamforce 2026 main keynote on 15 September 2026, with COO Miguel Milano and Chief Financial and Operating Officer Robin Washington leading the investor session, per Salesforce's announcement
Venue: Moscone Center and downtown San Francisco campus; online on Salesforce+
Scale (as published): Not published as an organiser attendance total in the Salesforce sources checked for 2026 (programme scale as published: 1,600+ sessions / breakout sessions in organiser-linked guides; no attendance number printed)
Who attends: Salesforce customers, administrators, developers, partners, enterprise executives and investors
Media / press: Fully open: keynotes webcast live via Salesforce's website / Salesforce+, extensive accredited media
Distinctiveness: A vendor conference at city scale: Salesforce's product launches (2026 theme: 'Becoming an Agentic Enterprise') are staged as a takeover of downtown San Francisco, with the paid conference cross-subsidising a free global stream
Access / entry: Open registration (paid in-person passes; free virtual registration on Salesforce+)
Website: https://www.salesforce.com/dreamforce · Contact: Salesforce via salesforce.com / Dreamforce pages (registration and Salesforce+ sign-up)
No succession: Benioff remains Chair and CEO. Note one trade report misprinted his first name as 'Mark' — the Salesforce announcement (Chair and CEO Marc Benioff) is the controlling source.
28. AWS RE:INVENT — LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, UNITED STATES
Founded 2012 · Cloud computing conference
Calendar / next edition: Annual, late November / early December. 2026: 30 November – 4 December 2026, Las Vegas
Convening body: Amazon Web Services, Inc. (Amazon) — commercial organiser (company conference)
Leadership: Convening company leadership: Andy Jassy, President and Chief Executive Officer, Amazon.com, Inc.; AWS is led by Matt Garman, Chief Executive Officer, Amazon Web Services (company leadership as published by Amazon; neither title was re-verified in a re:Invent-specific 2026 release for this file — flagged in research notes as drawn from Amazon company leadership, not the event release)
Venue: Multiple Las Vegas venues including Caesars Forum, Caesars Palace, Encore, MGM Grand, The Venetian and Wynn
Scale (as published): Target attendance 60,000, as published in the AWS re:Invent 2026 speaker manual (organiser document); a sponsor release put expected attendance at more than 65,000 — discrepancy flagged, organiser figure preferred
Who attends: Cloud architects, developers, engineers, security professionals, IT and business decision-makers, AWS partners and customers
Media / press: Open: keynotes livestreamed free, sessions published on demand, extensive accredited media and analyst attendance
Distinctiveness: A learning conference as much as a launch platform: the organiser's own manual targets 60,000 attendees across 2,200+ sessions, most of them interactive workshops and deep dives rather than keynotes
Access / entry: Open registration (paid), with keynotes and selected sessions livestreamed free on registration as published in the AWS FAQ
Website: https://aws.amazon.com/events/reinvent/ · Contact: AWS Events via aws.amazon.com/events/reinvent/ (registration requires an AWS Builder ID, per the official FAQ)
Scale source care: the '60,000 attendees' figure is the target attendance in the organiser's 2026 speaker manual, and a Capgemini sponsor release says 'more than 65,000 attendees' — the two differ; the organiser manual figure is used and the sponsor figure flagged, not averaged. Structural note: re:Inforce (security) folded into re:Invent for 2026 with a dedicated security day on 3 December.
29. APPLE WORLDWIDE DEVELOPERS CONFERENCE (WWDC) — CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA (AND ONLINE), UNITED STATES
Founded 1987 (Apple developer conference lineage; named Worldwide Developers Conference from 1990) · Developer conference
Calendar / next edition: Annual, in June. 2026: 8–12 June 2026, online with a special in-person opening event at Apple Park
Convening body: Apple Inc. — commercial organiser (company conference)
Leadership: Apple Chief Executive Officer at the time of WWDC 2026: Tim Cook, who delivered his final WWDC keynote as CEO. SUCCESSION: Apple announced in April 2026 that John Ternus, Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, would become Chief Executive Officer on 1 September 2026, with Cook moving to Executive Chairman — so from September 2026 Apple's CEO is John Ternus
Venue: Apple Park, Cupertino (special event); conference sessions online
Scale (as published): Not published: Apple does not publish an attendance figure for the in-person event, and online participation is not published as a total
Who attends: Apple platform developers, designers, students (Swift Student Challenge), media and Apple engineers
Media / press: Fully open: keynote and Platforms State of the Union streamed free on apple.com, YouTube, Apple TV app and the Apple Developer app; accredited media attend the in-person event
Distinctiveness: A software launch staged as a developer week: the keynote doubles as Apple's public product announcement for its operating systems, while the week's substance is online technical sessions and labs
Access / entry: Open to registered developers online (free); the special in-person event at Apple Park is by invitation / lottery for a limited number of developers, as in Apple's published format
Website: Apple Developer official site — WWDC pages (developer.apple.com/wwdc) · Contact: Apple Developer via developer.apple.com (WWDC pages and Apple Developer app)
SUCCESSION CAUGHT and dated: WWDC 2026 (June) belongs to Cook; the CEO title in any post-September 2026 listing belongs to Ternus. Multiple 2026 reports agree on the April announcement, 1 Sept 2026 effective date and Cook's move to Executive Chairman.
30. GOOGLE I/O — MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
Founded 2008 · Developer conference
Calendar / next edition: Annual, in May. 2026: 19–20 May 2026, Mountain View
Convening body: Google LLC (Alphabet) — commercial organiser (company conference)
Leadership: Chief Executive Officer, Google and Alphabet: Sundar Pichai, who announced the 2026 dates and hosted the keynote, with Google DeepMind Chief Executive Officer Demis Hassabis among the keynote leaders as reported
Venue: Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, California; online worldwide
Scale (as published): Not published: Google does not publish an attendance total for I/O in sources checked
Who attends: Developers, technology executives, product teams, media and an online developer audience worldwide
Media / press: Fully open: keynote and sessions livestreamed free on the I/O site and YouTube (including an ASL stream as reported), with on-demand sessions published after
Distinctiveness: Google's annual platform moment — Android, Gemini and developer tools are announced in a single keynote that functions simultaneously as a product launch for consumers following the livestream
Access / entry: Open registration for the in-person event (limited places) and free online registration / livestream, as published by Google
Website: Google I/O official site (io.google) · Contact: Google via the official Google I/O site (io.google, as published in Google's announcement)
No succession: Pichai remains CEO of Google and Alphabet in 2026 sources. No organiser attendance figure for the in-person amphitheatre audience is published — the online audience is described only qualitatively ('tens of thousands' watching live in one report), which is not printed as scale.
NAMED GAPS
The World Economic Forum's permanent President & CEO successor is unpublished at press time (Alois Zwinggi serves as Interim President & CEO), as are Davos's exact January 2027 dates. The Fortune Global Forum's 2026 host and dates, the Doha Forum's named president and 2026 dates, and the Qatar Economic Forum's rescheduled dates were not published in sources checked. Allen & Company publishes no Sun Valley chair, attendance or agenda. Fifteen entries — among them the COP, Boao, Aspen, Dreamforce, WWDC and Google I/O — publish no attendance figure usable to this guide's standard; their entries say "not published" rather than carrying estimates.
Compiled October 2026 from convening-body sources and reputable press. Discrepancies between sources — among them COP31's split presidency, the Qatar Economic Forum's postponed dates, and the disputed SXSW leadership account — are flagged in the individual entries and collected in the README accompanying the master data file (CSV) in the LIKE® Conferences department records.