Looking Ahead: Building on 2024's Success for the 2025 HNW Advisor Riyadh Event

As the wealth management community prepares for the upcoming HNW Advisor Riyadh event on Monday, November 3, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency Olaya, it's worth reflecting on the transformative insights from last year's gathering. The 2024 event, held on November 12, established a compelling narrative of Saudi Arabia's evolution as a sophisticated investment destination—a story that promises even more compelling chapters in 2025.

For full details of the 2025 event, go to https://www.riyadhprivatewealth.com/

2024's Foundation: Vision 2030 Materialising

Last year's event showcased Vision 2030's concrete progress rather than abstract ambitions. The statistic that over 540 companies had relocated their regional headquarters to the Kingdom wasn't just a number—it represented a fundamental shift in regional business confidence. Majed Sherbiny highlighted the government's $100 billion digital initiative and strategic partnerships, including the $10 million collaboration with DSP Energy for green hydrogen development, demonstrating how policy translates into tangible investment opportunities.

The demographic story remained compelling: a young population driving demand from 5 billion to nearly 9 billion visitors over five years. This wasn't merely tourism growth but reflected the Kingdom's expanding economic ecosystem attracting business travelers, investors, and new residents across multiple sectors.

As we approach 2025, the question isn't whether these trends will continue, but how they will accelerate and what new opportunities they'll create.

Investment Landscape Evolution: What's Changed

The 2024 discussions revealed a Kingdom moving beyond traditional oil-dependent economics toward genuine diversification. Speakers noted opportunities spanning entertainment (including the WWE partnership), technology, healthcare, and renewable energy. The regulatory environment had matured significantly, with laws and regulations approaching international standards while maintaining direct access to government decision-makers.

Looking toward 2025, several developments merit close attention. The IPO market has shown remarkable strength, with local companies achieving massive oversubscription rates—one example cited involved a 164 million IPO receiving 35 billion in orders. This suggests domestic capital formation is accelerating alongside foreign investment attraction.

The 2025 event will likely explore how these trends have evolved, particularly as global economic conditions shift and geopolitical dynamics continue reshaping investment flows.

London Property: Adapting to New Realities

Last year's London real estate segment, led by Camilla Dell, revealed a market in transition. Central London prices had declined approximately 2%, creating opportunities for strategic investors. However, the UK budget changes introduced new complexities, with stamp duty increases bringing overseas buyer rates to 19% for second homes.

The analysis highlighted both challenges and opportunities. While taxation increased, the "rule of six" still provided advantages for commercial transactions, and prime properties were achieving significant discounts from asking prices—up to 26% in some cases.

By November 2025, we'll have nearly a year of data showing how these tax changes affected actual transaction volumes and pricing. The upcoming event should provide crucial insights into market adaptation and strategic responses by Middle Eastern investors.

Succession Planning: Urgent Needs Becoming Critical

Perhaps the most sobering statistic from 2024 was Dr. Ayth Al Mubarak's revelation that 58% of Saudi family businesses lack formal succession plans. The National Center for Family Business identified this as a critical challenge requiring immediate professional intervention.

The panel discussions revealed sophisticated understanding of the distinction between family governance—focusing on values, mission, and generational continuity—and corporate governance addressing operational management and asset protection. However, implementation remained inconsistent across the business community.

The 2025 event arrives at a crucial juncture. Another year has passed without adequate succession planning for many family enterprises. The urgency will be greater, but so too should be the available solutions and case studies of successful transitions.  

Digital Transformation: From Promise to Practice

One of 2024's most striking themes was Saudi Arabia's digital government transformation. Speakers described eliminating bureaucratic obstacles that previously hindered business formation and compliance. The Saudi Business Council portal provided comprehensive online access to corporate information and regulatory requirements.

This digitization extended beyond business registration to judicial processes, with courts conducting litigation entirely online. For international advisors accustomed to paper-based systems elsewhere, Saudi Arabia's digital infrastructure represented a competitive advantage.

The 2025 event will likely showcase further technological integration and its impact on advisory services, compliance, and client experience.

Risk Management: Evolving Complexities

Last year's risk management discussions emphasized diversification beyond single asset classes or geographic concentrations. Speakers shared examples of insurance solutions addressing key person risk and the importance of gradual transition planning over dramatic structural changes.

The trust and family office segments revealed both opportunities and pitfalls. Transparency, education, and regular governance structure reviews emerged as success factors, while excessive founder control and inadequate professional oversight led to complications.

By 2025, global risk profiles will have shifted. Geopolitical tensions, currency fluctuations, and regulatory changes across jurisdictions will require updated strategies and solutions.

Looking Forward: Key Questions for 2025

As we prepare for the November 3rd gathering at the Hyatt Regency Olaya, several critical questions demand attention:

Economic Integration: How has Saudi Arabia's role in global investment flows evolved? What new bilateral agreements or institutional partnerships have emerged?

Regulatory Maturation: Which legal and regulatory frameworks have been refined? How do they compare with international best practices?

Market Performance: What returns have various investment strategies generated? Which sectors have outperformed expectations?

Succession Implementation: How many family businesses have developed formal succession plans? What models have proven most effective?

Technology Integration: How has further digitization affected advisory services and client relationships?

Global Context: How have shifting international dynamics affected Saudi Arabia's investment attractiveness?

The 2025 Opportunity

The upcoming event represents more than an annual gathering—it's a milestone assessment of Vision 2030's progress and a strategic planning session for the decade's second half. The foundation established through 2024's discussions provides a framework for deeper analysis and more sophisticated strategic planning.

For advisors, investors, and family offices, the November 3rd event offers an opportunity to recalibrate strategies based on real performance data rather than projections. The Kingdom's transformation story continues, but now with substantial evidence of execution capability and market response.

Jiggy Rawal said that advisors in the Kingdom are at a critical juncture for the family businesses they are supporting: “Strategy is only as powerful as its execution — and in the next two years, family offices must turn plans into action if they are to be ready to transact as Vision 2030 reaches its defining stage.”

The Hyatt Regency Olaya will host discussions that could define the next phase of Saudi Arabia's economic evolution and the advisory industry's role in supporting it. The 2024 event established the narrative; 2025 promises to reveal how that narrative translates into sustained success.

Angela Calnan said this about being part of the 2025 edition: "It is great to be sponsoring the HNW Advisor event in Riyadh again this year. It is a unique opportunity to bring together thought leaders from the UK and offshore with those from the Kingdom to talk about the solutions that we continue to collaboratively bring to clients. It is also a fantastic opportunity for us to hear about the latest developments in the Kingdom."