Following consultation with partners and stakeholders, RLI Connect MENA 2026 has been postponed as we explore an exciting new direction for this year’s platform.

Following discussions with our Headline Partner, Cenomi Centers, alongside speakers, partners and stakeholders from across the GCC and after carefully monitoring developments across parts of the Middle East, we have taken the decision to postpone RLI Connect MENA 2026.

This decision has not been taken lightly. The programme was shaping up to be one of our strongest to date and we were very much looking forward to welcoming our global community to Riyadh.

However, the safety and wellbeing of our speakers, partners and delegates must always come first. In light of current travel guidance and concerns around international participation, we believe postponing the event at this stage is the most responsible course of action.

We would like to thank all of our partners, speakers and delegates for their continued support and understanding.

Exploring a New Direction

Conversations at MIPIM have opened the door to a potentially exciting new direction for RLI Connect MENA.

While the Middle East conversation traditionally takes place in the region, we are currently exploring the possibility of bringing this year’s event to the UK, in a new location with strong ties to the Middle East.

It is still early days and nothing is confirmed yet, but we believe this could create a powerful opportunity for leaders, investors and brands connected to the region to come together.

The scale of destination development underway across Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC continues to redefine global benchmarks for retail, leisure and mixed-use placemaking.

Further updates will be shared in due course.