At a moment when the world is rethinking how progress is achieved, the 2026 RLC Global Forum has presented its thematic framework, “Growth Crossroads,” and will convene in Riyadh under this overarching vision.
The Forum will explore six defining themes that capture the transformation reshaping global trade, consumption, and leadership:
- Growth in a Reordered World
Growth is being redefined as new centers rise, trade routes shift, and alliances realign. How can leaders turn competition into collaboration by transforming uncertainty into innovation, investment, and new pathways for growth where adaptability is the ultimate advantage?
- AI and the Power of Multipliers
AI is becoming the ultimate force multiplier by amplifying innovation, efficiency, and creativity across retail, lifestyle and consumer-facing industries. How can leaders harness its compounding power to unlock new growth frontiers and shape more intelligent business ecosystems?
- The Global South as Growth Engine
From Asia to the Middle East to Latin America, emerging markets are becoming engines of global demand, creativity, and capital. As new models of growth take shape, how can global and local leaders engage meaningfully with regions that are redefining the geography of opportunity?
- Experience as Growth Infrastructure
Lifestyle, leisure, retail, and tourism are converging into one borderless ecosystem where experiences power connection, culture, and commerce. How can destinations, brands, and cities design experiences that shape identity and drive sustainable growth in a consumer-driven world?
- The Future Consumer Order
Empowered by technology and guided by values, consumers are reshaping the rules of engagement across markets. As choice becomes mediated by AI and influence flows through digital ecosystems, how can businesses reimagine trust, relevance, and value in this new order of consumption?
- Leadership Beyond Resilience
Resilience helps organizations endure; regeneration enables them to evolve. As volatility becomes the norm, how can leaders move from recovery to reinvention by building models of growth that adapt, renew, and create long-term value for business and society?
Strategic partnerships amid a new global order
As the world’s economic and cultural gravity continues to shift, Riyadh stands at the intersection of transformation by connecting East and West, tradition and innovation, and providing the ideal stage for this global dialogue.
The Forum’s launch coincides with the announcement of two strategic partnerships with Cenomi Centers and Panda Retail Company, highlighting Saudi Arabia’s emergence as a driving force in the global growth narrative.
“From Riyadh, a new conversation begins,” said Panos Linardos, Chairman of RLC Global Forum. “By anchoring our 2026 year-round growth agenda and aligning with visionary partners like Cenomi Centers and Panda Retail Company, we reflect a broader truth: the next decade of prosperity will be defined by collaboration between emerging and established markets.”
Alison Rehill-Erguven, Chief Executive Officer, at Cenomi Centers commented: “We are proud to partner with RLC Global Forum, a platform that shares our commitment to shaping the future of retail in Saudi Arabia. Cenomi’s participation reflects our dedication to driving innovation, collaboration, and excellence across the sector – contributing to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals and redefining the customer experience through world-class destinations.”
Dr. Bander Hamooh, CEO of Panda Retail Company, stated: “At Panda Retail Company, we are proud of our strategic partnership with 2026 RLC Global Forum and look forward to sharing our vision for the future of retail in the Kingdom and the region. Together with industry leaders from around the world, we aim to shape a more sustainable future, one that is centered on exceptional customer experience, enhanced by digital transformation and intelligent governance, and supported by sustainable supply chains that create lasting value for both society and the economy.”
Taking place on February 3–4, the 2026 RLC Global Forum will bring together more than 2,000 global leaders, policymakers, and innovators from over 40 countries to define the next chapter of growth across retail, consumer, and lifestyle industries.
