Perhaps it is not unusual to want to attend an investment forum that brings together some of the most powerful financial and commercial minds from across the world to a two-day event in the heart of London. However, to do so as a father (Kiran) and newly-graduated-from-high-school daughter (Akira) combination is probably quite rare. So why did we attend and what did we experience?

Kiran: I’ve known of and interacted with Inside Saudi since its inception two-and-a-half years ago.

It is a very rare media platform, one that stands out for its integrity and deep understanding of Saudi society but also Saudi businesses. This is testament to the commitment to Saudi Arabia of its Publisher, Francesco Costanzo, who has spent two weeks of his life every month, since 2011, engaging on the ground in the Kingdom with a very broad spectrum of sectors and businesses, which has resulted in the success of Invescore Group, the investment and advisory company where he is CEO and from which Inside Saudi sprang.

This event was the first of its kind for Inside Saudi and followed the successful launch of the Inside Saudi Club in Diriyah late last year. The two days, in a balmy and sunny London, really were standout. The conversations were open, and everyone brought sincere curiosity to the event – a gathering designed to open opportunities across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Firstly, the event opened with an overview on Saudi Arabia and Saudi Vision 2030, which is something both you and I know a lot about, right Akira?

Akira: From the time we first moved to Saudi Arabia as a family until the day I graduated from school, so much changed. Roadworks were, and still are, everywhere! Buildings are being built before your very eyes and every week there are new openings for museums, cultural and entertainment venues, and restaurants. We even witnessed the metro system from inception through to completion! Saudi society is extremely welcoming and tolerant to cultural differences and people visiting the Kingdom, and everyone is so positive about life.

But to think that the very first time I saw Guns N’ Roses perform was in Saudi Arabia?! …and you saw Metallica perform at SOUNDSTORM in the year they recorded over 700,000 festival goers attending!

Kiran: I think the pace of the Vision being so immense, so much faster than anyone expected was clearly demonstrated from the data and analysis presented by Rima Bhatia, Group Economic Advisor at Gulf International Bank (GIB). It is easy to make a statement having lived there for the past five years, but that data really validated our feelings.

Akira: I really enjoyed the presentations and the model display showing the plans in more detail for the New Murabba project. We drove past that construction site every day on our way to school, and I didn’t realise just how much the project resets the bar for technology and urban planning. I never imagined the Riyadh skyline could be so quickly reshaped by just this one single, transformational project.

Kiran: Yes, I totally agree! It was a great exchange of information and insights, and linked nicely to some of the key areas that Saudi Arabia is strategically focusing on, which as Abdulaziz Al-Helaissi, Group CEO of GIB, summarized in his opening remarks includes the reimagining of entire sectors, expanding private sector participation, and the deepening of capital markets.

I spoke throughout the event with Michael Dyke, CEO of New Murabba, who confirmed that so many commitments in Saudi Arabia are on track and coming to life rapidly. I think Michael and his team are doing wonderful things, and their commitment to the project is simply amazing – technologically game-changing!

Akira: I felt that Day 1 had a really nice pace, and I enjoyed the gala dinner where I was seated next to some very interesting people. One of them was Professor Jonathan Vaughan, Principal of Guildhall School of Music & Drama, which consistently ranks among the top global performing arts institutions, and has recently signed a cooperation agreement with the Saudi Ministry of Culture.

Kiran: Indeed, I had a brief chat with him as well. Very interesting as his PhD dissertation was on how music can transform lives, so we very briefly discussed Gill-Scott Heron and Frank Zappa! It was a lovely dinner with so many people staying until well after dinner service was over, so it seems the conversations were simply unstoppable.

Akira: I thought Day 2 was totally different to Day 1. It was “all business” in setting, and I really enjoyed the presentation and panel with Professor Mary Pieterse-Bloem, CIO of Rabobank Private Banking. She really dug into the topic and brought a different and accessible perspective about protecting capital.

Although I have no financial experience, it was interesting to see how there are different focuses and opinions about AI. My generation has a lot of concerns about the adoption of AI, so that really interested me.

I also thought that Barbara Muckermann, CEO of Kempinski Group, really explained the changing landscape for luxury brands and the challenges of how they interact with their customers.

Kiran: Yes, well the setting of Day 2 was within GAM Investments’ wonderful offices in London, so naturally it was more of a roundtable discussion and forum, but I agree: also with very little sector knowledge, I was very interested in hearing from all the speakers. And the time flew past very quickly.

I was very happy to hear from Inside Saudi’s Publisher Francesco Costanzo that the next Inside Saudi Club gathering will be taking place at during the week of Cityscape Global in Riyadh this year. I would definitely like to attend, and I think I will be suggesting the same to anyone I meet who may be interested in looking at real business opportunities “inside” Saudi Arabia.

Akira, you will have to skip that event and focus on your university instead!

Akira: You have a lot of belief in what Inside Saudi is doing, and I have heard you talk about it a lot in the past, especially when you were at Diriyah, so I was really interested to be part of this event and see it for myself.

Kiran: What matters to me the most is the sincerity of coverage you get from Inside Saudi. The positivity of Saudi society is overwhelming, and so too are the real success stories taking place across the Kingdom.

Inside Saudi not only has the credibility and the access to so many opportunities for global businesses to engage with – it also comes from a very sincere belief in the very special transformation that is underway in the Kingdom, and that makes it an integral part of bringing Vision 2030 to life.

That was really felt by all attendees I spoke to over the last few days, which convinces me that Inside Saudi will be playing a significant role in the global media landscape for many more years to come.

A huge thank you to all who designed this event, ran the schedules and brought the topics to life!

Akira: Well, Dad, one last thing from my side. I spent all my high school years at the American International School in Riyadh, so Saudi is a big part of my life, and my experiences and friendships there will define who I am and who I become. I felt so proud to see so many people engaging with Inside Saudi, hungry to learn more about the Kingdom and eager to open new chapters of business there… but for me it was a little emotional as it closes a very big chapter of my life in Saudi, right before I head off to university, so I’m grateful to the Inside Saudi team for letting me attend this special event.

Akira Haslam recently graduated “salutatorian” from the American International School in Riyadh’s International Baccalaureate program and now embarks upon an honours degree in the Global Challenges programme at Leiden University’s campus in The Hague.

Kiran Haslam was the CMO at both Diriyah Company and the Diriyah Gate Development Authority for nearly five years. During his tenure, Kiran created and established the Diriyah brand as “The City of Earth”, built a world-class marketing department of over 200 individuals, designed and delivered two Diriyah Seasons, launched the UNESCO World Heritage Site to the world, and took the over-$63B giga-project global.