Covering the big ideas, bold leadership and dynamic economies at the frontlines of global transformation
Global Perspectives is CNN's new live event series, bringing the network’s renowned journalism and expert analysis to the stage. Each event features in-depth conversations exploring the ideas, leadership and forces shaping the global economy, business and culture.
This October, CNN brings Global Perspectives to the Gulf with Global Perspectives: In Doha. Exploring The Invisible World, the event examines the hidden forces reshaping how the world works. As power shifts in new and often unseen ways, the Gulf is emerging not just as a responder to change, but as a key player in shaping what comes next.
Convening world leaders, CEOs and cultural voices, CNN’s award-winning journalists will lead conversations at a pivotal moment of global transformation, as technology, geopolitics and influence continue to evolve. Editorial highlights, interviews, and coverage from the event will feature across CNN's platforms.
Power is shifting, but not always in the ways we expect. Governments still matter, but so do AI companies, investors, platforms and individuals with the ability to move markets, shape opinion and influence events. As old power structures become harder to read, who is really shaping the world now and what are we still failing to see?
The global energy story is becoming more complex. As AI drives demand and geopolitics reshapes supply, the world must balance security, affordability and climate ambition. For the Gulf, the stakes are high. As the region invests beyond oil, is the world truly moving on, or simply entering a more competitive energy era?
In a world where AI can generate voices, images, video and entire environments in seconds, seeing is no longer believing. From politics and media to entertainment and security, the line between real and artificial is becoming harder to detect, and the consequences more severe. What happens when reality itself becomes harder to trust?
Sport is now one of the world’s most powerful industries, driven by investment, media rights and global audiences. From sovereign wealth to private equity, money is reshaping leagues, teams and the business behind the game. As ownership evolves, so does influence—not just over sport, but over culture, cities and global attention.
America remains the world's largest economy and military power, but it is entering a period of intense political division and growing international competition. As they prepare for midterm elections, how is American leadership evolving and what does that mean for allies, rivals and regions such as the Gulf? And how much of the world's future still depends on decisions made in Washington?
Sovereign wealth funds now rank among the most powerful forces in the global economy. Controlling trillions in capital, they are moving beyond passive investment to back industries, build partnerships and shape long-term strategy. As their role evolves, how are they reshaping not just markets, but where and how the future is built?
With trillions poured into tech and innovation every year, investors are always hunting for the next big win. But beyond the returns, today's biggest innovations are also reshaping the real world—for better or worse. So when does money not just do well, but do good? A conversation with some of the world’s most influential funders, from global policymakers to VC firms and philanthropies.
In a world shaped by algorithms, noise and constant distraction, art and culture still have the power to stop people in their tracks. This special conversation with a closing performance brings creativity and human connection back to centre stage, a reminder that behind every headline, strategy and technological shift, there are still stories, emotions and voices that connect us.
Qatar has built something rare — a small country with an outsized role in how the world works. From diplomacy and energy to culture and sport, it has consistently punched above its weight and shaped conversations far beyond its borders. With its ambitions aimed high, what role will this nation play as the winds of global change accelerate?
In a world shaped by platforms and algorithms, individuals still have the ability to cut through. For business leaders to creators, athletes and public figures, personality has become a powerful force in shaping influence, ideas and global conversations. In an age of automation and AI, is human connection more valuable than ever?
Rosewood Doha
First Street 69, Lusail, Qatar
Rosewood Doha is an ultra‑luxury landmark in Lusail’s Marina District, blending contemporary elegance with Qatari heritage. Its coral and pearl‑inspired design, refined interiors, Gulf views, and world‑class hospitality create a distinctive, elevated setting.
Sir Mark Thompson is Chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide where he oversees all aspects of the business in the U.S. and around the world. He also serves as the editor-in-chief of CNN.
Sir Mark stepped down as President and CEO of The New York Times Company in the summer of 2020 after an eight-year tenure during which he led the transformation of the 170-year-old news brand into a digital powerhouse.
Sir Mark’s appointment at The New York Times Company followed an eight-year term as Director General (Editor-in-Chief and Chief Executive) of the BBC. As well as guiding the BBC’s coverage of the global financial crisis and the 2012 London Olympic Games, he is credited with major advances in the BBC’s digital offering and digital audience reach, including the successful launch of the BBC’s iPlayer, one of the world’s first streaming services from a major broadcaster (2007).
He joined the BBC from Channel 4 where he was Chief Executive from 2002 to 2004. Before Channel 4 he held a series of senior posts at the BBC including Editor of The Nine O’clock News and Panorama, Controller of BBC Two and Director of Television.
Christiane Amanpour is CNN’s chief international anchor, host of the network’s flagship global affairs program Amanpour which airs weekdays on CNN International and on PBS in the United States. She is also host of the Saturday show The Amanpour Hour.
Amanpour’s fearless and uncompromising reporting from warzones and sites of natural disasters around the world over the past four decades has made her one of the most recognizable and iconic journalists in the world.
Throughout her time at CNN, she has secured countless exclusive and hard-to-get interviews with the global leaders, newsmakers and cultural icons shaping our world.
Amanpour has earned every major television journalism award including 16 News and Documentary Emmy Awards, four Peabody Awards, two George Polk Awards, three duPont-Columbia Awards and the IWMF’s Courage in Journalism Award. She has received nine honorary degrees, has been named a CBE and was inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame. In 2023, she was honored with the Columbia Journalism Award, the highest award bestowed by Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism, and with the President’s Award from the Overseas Press Club.
Richard Quest is CNN’s foremost international business correspondent and anchor of Quest Means Business, the definitive word on how we earn and spend our money.
Quest also serves as CNN Business editor-at-large, and is the network’s established airline and aviation correspondent, having interviewed all of the major airline executives.
Additionally, Quest is the host of CNN International’s signature monthly feature program Quest’s World of Wonder, an immersive travel series that finds him exploring a new destination each month and meeting fascinating people who reveal the heart of that city.
Quest’s dynamic and distinctive style has made him a unique figure in the field of business broadcasting. He has regularly reported from G20 meetings and attends the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland each year. Quest has covered every major stock market and financial crisis since Black Monday in 1987 and has reported from key financial centers globally including Wall Street, London, Sao Paolo, Tokyo and Hong Kong.
Wolf Blitzer is co-anchor of The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown, which airs weekdays on CNN and provides viewers with in-depth reports about the political, international and breaking news stories of the day. One-on-one interviews with prominent figures who are shaping news on the world stage has been a hallmark of Blitzer and The Situation Room throughout the entire 21-year on-air run – one of the longest running CNN shows.
Blitzer has been with CNN for 36 years, where he has played a pivotal role in CNN’s election coverage, moderating debates and town halls and anchoring the network's Election Night in America and presidential inauguration coverage. In addition to politics, Blitzer is also known for his in-depth reporting on international news and Middle East expertise.
Throughout his career, Blitzer has interviewed some of history’s most notable figures, including U.S. Presidents and foreign leaders. Blitzer has reported on a wide range of major breaking stories in the United States and around the world that have shaped the global political landscape.
An award-winning journalist, Blitzer has received numerous honors for his reporting, including the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism in 2025 and the News & Documentary Emmy Awards Lifetime Achievement honor in 2023, among many others. Blitzer is set to be inducted into the Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame in 2026.
Becky Anderson is one of CNN International’s highest profile anchors. She hosts Connect the World with Becky Anderson, which airs weekdays at 5:00pm UAE time. She is based at CNN’s Abu Dhabi bureau, where she also serves as Managing Editor.
In these roles Anderson has a distinctive regional perspective on some of today’s most important news stories, including the emerging politico-economic trends in the Gulf, the regional rivalries between Iran and Saudi Arabia and the deepening humanitarian crisis stemming from years of political instability in Syria and Iraq.
Anderson is a skilled interviewer, adept at close questioning and has interviewed many of the world’s leading politicians, decision-makers and thought-leaders. She has conducted one-on-one interviews with top world leaders including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir, Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abudllah bin Zayed, Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed Al Thani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and leading humanitarian leaders such as UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. She is equally at home with celebrities, quizzing the world’s A-listers, including Jennifer Lopez, Will.i.Am, Akon, Oprah Winfrey, Juliette Binoche, Andrew Lloyd-Weber, Beyoncé, George Clooney, Lady Gaga, Tom Hanks, Javier Bardem and Brad Pitt.
Since moving Connect the World to Abu Dhabi, Anderson has spent much of her time travelling across the Middle East at an extraordinary time of upheaval and change. Anderson and the team were the first team to broadcast from Riyadh after the ban on women driving were lifted. She has broadcast special shows from Tehran to Jerusalem, from Istanbul to Beirut, bringing a range of interviews, reports and packages to CNN International viewers around the globe.
Anderson has extensive business journalism experience including posts with the UK’s ITN, CNBC Europe and Bloomberg. She began her career in journalism as a print reporter with various business publications in Arizona, after gaining a Master of Mass Communication from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University in 1992 and in 2012 was inducted into their hall of fame. She gained her BA (Hons) in Economics at Sussex University in the UK.
Eleni Giokos is a CNN anchor and correspondent, based in the UAE. A regular anchor across CNN’s news and business programming, she also presents the network’s Connecting Africa and Marketplace Middle East feature shows.
Born in Greece and raised in South Africa, she has more than 15 years’ experience working across TV, digital, radio and print media, and is one of CNN’s most versatile correspondents.
Giokos has interviewed countless heads of state over the years, including Rwandan President Paul Kagame, former South African President Jacob Zuma, and former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, to name just a few. Her list of business interviews includes the likes of International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde, and Virgin founder Richard Branson; as well as a ‘who’s who?’ of Africa’s most prominent business leaders.
Bijan Hosseini is a Senior Producer for CNN International Productions, working on feature shows, television segments, and digital videos spanning the globe. He is currently based in Doha, Qatar, as a member of the CNN Creators team – a multi-platform programming initiative which explores conversations capturing the zeitgeist, with a focus on AI, tech, and social trends. Hosseini also hosts CNN half-hour feature programs and engaging social video series, reaching audiences worldwide.
Tareq Amin serves as the CEO of HUMAIN, a full-stack AI company owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
He was named as one of TIME’s top 100 leaders in AI in 2025 and one of the Observer’s 2026 AI Power Index in 2026.
With prior executive leadership roles at Aramco Digital, Rakuten, Reliance Jio, Huawei, and T-Mobile, he brings extensive global experience driving digital transformation and AI innovation across the U.S., Japan, India, and now Saudi Arabia.
Ester Baiget has more than 25 years of global experience. As an international leader with a strong track record, Ester has driven transformational change, enhanced profitability, and laid a strong foundation for sustainable growth across a diverse range of industries. Through her leadership, she nurtures a diverse culture of inclusion, engagement and commitment to delivering strong results.
She joined Novozymes in 2020, now Novonesis, after serving as president of Dow’s Industrial Solutions business and as a member of Dow’s Executive Leadership Team.
Ester is a compelling advocate of the power of biotechnology and the positive change biosolutions can bring to support a healthy, resilient, more prosperous planet.
She represents Novonesis in key global arenas and brings the voice of innovation, and hope to several Boards of Directors of which she is a member.
Ester holds a chemical engineering degree and an MBA from the University of Tarragona in Spain.
His Excellency Mr. Jasem Albudaiwi has served as Secretary General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf since February 2023. He previously served as Kuwait’s Ambassador to the United States of America (2022-2023), Ambassador to Belgium and Head of Mission to the European Union and NATO (2016-2022), and Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (2013-2016). He has also headed Kuwait’s delegation to numerous international conferences and forums, and throughout his career has contributed to strengthening regional and international partnerships at all levels.
Vitaliy Klitschko is the current mayor of Kyiv, Ukraine, and a dedicated social activist. Mr. Klitschko began his political career in March 2006, when he ran simultaneously for Verkhovna Rada and the Kyiv City Council as the head of the Pora-PRP Bloc (the union of the PORA and the Reform and Order parties). The election results allowed him to become the bloc group leader at the Kyiv City Council. In April 2010, Klitschko became the Party Leader for UDAR (Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reforms). After the parliamentary elections in 2012, Vitali Klitschko’s UDAR entered the Parliament.
Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro serves as the chief diplomat and steward of Philippine foreign policy. With the Philippines serving as ASEAN Chair, she also plays a pivotal role as the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar. A seasoned legal mind and career diplomat, her distinguished service spans key global capitals, including posts as Ambassador to France and Switzerland, Consul General in Sydney, and postings in New York, Madrid, Geneva, and Bangkok. Prior to her appointment as Foreign Minister, she served as Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs, shaping the nation's key foreign policy priorities and regional engagements. She holds degrees from Maryknoll College and the UP College of Law. Secretary Lazaro has been decorated with the country's highest diplomatic honors, including the Gawad Mabini (Grand Cross) and the Order of Sikatuna (Grand Cross, Gold Distinction).
H.E. Wamkele Mene was elected by the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of States & Government of the African Union, to the position of Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat.
Prior to being elected Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, he served as Chief Director: Africa Economic Relations, at the Department of Trade & Industry of South Africa. In this role, he was South Africa’s chief trade negotiator in the AfCFTA and Tripartite FTA negotiations. During his tenure as chief negotiator, South Africa ratified both the AfCFTA and Tripartite FTAs agreements.
Prior to assuming this position, H.E. Wamkele Mene occupied the position of Director: International Trade Law & Investment Law at the Department of Trade & Industry, a role in which he was principal legal counsel on international trade law and international investment law.
From 2010 until 2015, H.E. Wamkele Mene represented South Africa at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland. He was elected to the position of Chairman of the WTO’s Committee on International Trade in Financial Services.
Charles Stewart has served as Chief Executive Officer of Sotheby’s since 2019. Under Mr. Stewart’s leadership, Sotheby’s focuses on expanding access and ownership of fine art and luxury objects. Sotheby's seeks to balance the power of its nearly three centuries of heritage while embracing innovation and technology to power its future. Prior to Sotheby’s, Mr. Stewart served as Co-President and Chief Financial Officer of Altice USA. In 2017, he helped deliver the company’s successful $2.1 billion initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange. Mr. Stewart joined Altice USA after two decades of international finance experience. During his seven years in London, he served as CEO of Itaú BBA International plc, the international arm of the largest bank in Latin America. Prior to that, he spent 19 years in investment banking at Morgan Stanley in various client and leadership roles, including as Deputy Head of EMEA Investment Banking, Head of Latin America Investment Banking, and member of the global investment banking management committee.
Julie Uhrman is the co-founder of Angel City Football Club (ACFC), Los Angeles’ professional women’s soccer team in the NWSL, recently named the most valuable women’s sports team globally, with a valuation of $345 million. Uhrman co-founded ACFC alongside Academy Award-winning actress and activist Natalie Portman and technology venture capitalist Kara Nortman.
As CEO, she built and led a franchise that has become a global benchmark for innovation, community impact, and commercial excellence in women’s sports. Under her leadership, ACFC has earned USA TODAY Women of the Year in 2026, ESPN’s Humanitarian Team of the Year at the 2024 ESPY Awards, and Sports Business Journal’s 2023 Sports Team of the Year, the first women’s team to ever win the category. A recognized founder and influential voice in global sports, Uhrman was named Innovator of the Year 2025 by the LA Business Journal, as Forbes America’s Most Powerful Women in Sports 2025, and to the LA 500 List in 2025. A proud mom of two, she resides in her hometown, Los Angeles.
Alex Mashrabov is the CEO and Co-Founder of Higgsfield, a leading generative video platform and a fast-scaling force in the AI sector. Before Higgsfield, Alex co-founded AI Factory, the startup behind Snapchat’s viral Cameos and Face Filters, which reached billions of users and was acquired by Snap in 2020. At Snap, he served as Director of Generative AI, leading teams that shaped the company’s early AI strategy.
Shamina Singh is the founder and president of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and executive vice president of sustainability at Mastercard, where she leads the company’s global social and environmental impact strategy. A member of Mastercard’s Management Committee, she draws on more than two decades of public and private sector experience to unite investors, policymakers, government and impact leaders to advance private sector-led social and business outcomes that shape inclusive and impactful economies. Her cross-functional leadership style has been recognized by American Banker and the Financial Times.
Since launching the Center in 2014, Shamina has leveraged the power of Mastercard’s data, technology, capital, and expertise to advance inclusive and sustainable economic growth around the world. Mastercard and the Center demonstrate how the private sector can lead on business and impact outcomes alongside
governments, nonprofits and researchers. This “doing well by doing good” strategy has earned recognition from Fast Company, Fortune, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal and Forbes.
With a career spanning four U.S. presidential administrations and three Fortune 500 companies, Shamina has held senior roles in the White House and the U.S. House of Representatives. She is a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute, a Presidential Leadership Scholar, and an alumna of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders Program.
Currently, Shamina serves on the board of The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), and on the advisory boards of data.org, Okta for Good, the Aspen Institute’s Civil Society Fellowship and the CGAP Financial Inclusion Initiative. She is also a contributor to MIT Sloan Management Review on the topic of responsible AI.
Shamina holds a Bachelor of Science from Old Dominion University and a Master of Public Affairs from the Lyndon B. Johnson School at the University of Texas at Austin. She has received Alumni of Distinction honors from both institutions.
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa is a four-term Ghanaian legislator representing North Tongu Constituency in the Volta Region of Ghana.
He has had an illustrious career spanning two decades. For nearly eight years he served as the ranking member of the select committee on foreign affairs. He has previously served as Dep. Min of Information from 2009-2013 and Dep. Minister for Education from 2013-2017.
He is a prolific author, former President of the National Union of Ghana students (NUGS), accredited member of the Institute for Public Relations and the African leadership network. He is the recipient of numerous awards including an honorary doctorate degree from AMET University in India, being adjudged the most impactful MP in 2024, medal of honour from the Ghana Medical Association and a citation from the John Agyekum Kufuor Foundation.
He holds an MSC in Defence and International Politics from the Ghana Armed Forces and Staff College, MA in communications and public relations from the University of Leicester, LLB from the University of London. Bachelor of arts from the University of Ghana and certificate of Leadership from Harvard.
Yasmina El Abd is an Egyptian-Swiss actress whose work across film and television has established her as one of the region’s most exciting rising talents. Known for her thoughtful performances and modern perspective, she represents a new generation of Arab creatives shaping the future of entertainment.
Alongside her acting career, Yasmina serves as a Dior Ambassador across Fashion, Beauty, and Fine Jewelry, representing the House at major international events and collaborating on campaigns that celebrate its enduring heritage and contemporary vision. Her growing influence at the intersection of culture, fashion, and cinema has positioned her as a distinctive voice on the global stage.
Courtney Powell is Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner of 500 Global, where she leads global growth and strategy, scales the firm's investment platform, and mobilizes institutional capital into innovation-driven economies. She works at the intersection of entrepreneurship, institutional capital, and public-private collaboration, partnering with governments and sovereign institutions to translate economic priorities into investable strategies.
She serves on the Advisory Council at Harvard Kennedy School's Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government and as a Board Observer of the Digital Cooperation Organization.
Courtney's relationship with 500 Global began in 2012 when the firm invested in her startup, PublikDemand. She later served as CEO of Agent Pronto (acquired by Fidelity National Title Group) and as Head of Corporate Development at Keller Williams Realty International, where she launched the firm's first corporate innovation and investment platform.
Courtney has been named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and studied at the University of Texas at Austin.
Mohammed Al-Sowaidi was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of QIA in November 2024, bringing over nineteen years' experience in global investments and financial strategy.
Directly prior to his role of CEO, he served as QIA's Chief Investment Officer for the Americas and spent five years as Head of QIA Advisory in New York since establishment.
Since joining QIA in 2010, Al-Sowaidi has also led various teams including the Private Equity Funds team, Technology, Media & Telecoms team and Industrials team.
Before joining QIA, Al-Sowaidi was Director of Corporate Banking at AlRayan Bank. He started his career at ExxonMobil in Qatar.
He currently holds several board roles both globally and in Qatar, including at Qatar National Bank, Qatar Airways Group, Ooredoo, Volkswagen and Harrods.
In addition to being a CFA Charterholder, Al-Sowaidi holds an executive MBA from the TRIUM Program and a Double Major Bachelor's degree in Statistics and Finance from the University of Missouri, USA.
Yusuff Ali M.A. is the Chairman of Lulu Group International and ranks among reputed business personalities around the world today. The Wall Street Journal has named him as one of the most influential non-Royals in the United Arab Emirates. In recognition of his longstanding contribution to the economy of the Gulf countries, he was the first person to receive the Golden Residency long-term Visa from all the Gulf countries namely Qatar, UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Among the several reputed awards presented to him, Yusuff Ali is the recipient of the prestigious Queen’s Award by late Queen Elizabeth II, Wessam Al Bahrain (Medal of Bahrain – Order of the King) by The King of Bahrain, Abu Dhabi Award, the highest civilian honor by The President of U.A.E and Prima Dutta Award, highest honor of the Indonesian Government by The President of Indonesia.
