The Global Investors Forum (GIF 2025) has concluded its sessions in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, with the launch of the Saudi–Georgian Investment Platform, amid a high-profile international presence and strong interest from senior government officials, business leaders, policymakers, and entrepreneurs.

The closing day witnessed exceptional momentum, underscoring the forum’s standing as a prominent international platform that brings together the visions of GCC and Eurasian countries and reshapes the future pathways of investment cooperation between the two regions. GIF 2025 was held in strategic partnership with EurAsia Gulf, and GI Holding as the main partner, and with the support of the Embassy of Georgia in the United Arab Emirates and the Hong Kong – Middle East Business Chamber. The event is also sponsored by Petra Group, Evaluations, D&B Properties and Royal B.

The second day opened with a welcome address that highlighted the importance of economic dialogue and its role in expanding the scope of partnerships and integration between markets. The session saw contributions from H.E. Salah Al Shamsi, Chairman of Liwa Investment, and Dr Rock Mehanna, Board Member and Strategic Adviser to Evolutions and D&B Properties. The session set the stage for the launch of the Saudi–Georgian Investment Platform, one of the forum’s key initiatives this year.

The key highlight of the closing day was the official launch of the Saudi–Georgian Investment Platform, one of the most significant outcomes of this year’s forum. The announcement was made in the presence of Ahmed Al Dakheel, Chairman of the Saudi Business Council – Central Asian Countries and Chairman of the Saudi–Georgian Business Council; George Svanidze, Founder of Petra Group; and Ahmed Al Areej, Chairman of World Luxury Group. Also in attendance were Dr Tasyir Al Khunaizi, Partner and Deputy CEO of the Georgia Saudi Investment Corporation, and Dr Sadeddine Mneimne, Chairman of AGI Holding and Chairman of the Global Investors Forum.

This agreement marks a pivotal milestone in the economic relations between the two countries, establishing an institutional framework that supports the flow of bilateral investments and enables the implementation of joint projects across key sectors, including tourism and hospitality, health and wellness, agriculture, logistics, and other promising development initiatives.

The Saudi–Georgian Investment Platform is a joint investment venture between Saudi and Georgian businessmen, operating as a commercial entity with clear governance structures that ensure a secure and transparent environment for investors. Ahmed Al Areej, Chairman of World Luxury Group, underscored that the platform aims to strengthen economic and cultural ties between the two countries by launching a ready-made investment portfolio worth hundreds of millions of dollars, encompassing tourism, wellness, service and development projects in both Saudi Arabia and Georgia.

Al Areej outlined that Georgia holds significant natural resources and vast opportunities in property development and wellness projects, in addition to being an emerging and renewed tourism destination. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, leads the regional economy thanks to its huge potential in mining, energy, real estate development and tourism, making the integration of the two economies an ideal opportunity to create joint projects with shared strategic value.

In his address, Dr Sadeddine Mneimne, Chairman of AGI Holding and Chairman of the Global Investors Forum, underlined that the forum was established to serve as a bridge connecting East and West, and as a vision that brings together governments, investors and innovators to build a future shaped not by geography, but by partnerships, courage and shared visions. He added: “My commitment to this forum is clear: to build a platform that does not stop at its current boundaries but continues to evolve and expand until it becomes a global engine for creating opportunities and shaping the economies of tomorrow.”

Dr Sadeddine Mneimne, and Farah Harb, Co-Founder of Innovents ME, announced the new destinations set to host the Global Investors Forum 2026. The upcoming edition will take place across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the Dominican Republic, in an expansion that reflects the forum’s growing international presence and its rising influence on the global investment map.

The launch of the platform came as a direct outcome of two days of discussions at the forum, and as a result of the sessions and bilateral business networking meetings in creating common ground for cooperation among investors and exchange of insightful views between the Saudi and Georgian sectors. The new platform is expected to strengthen cross-border partnerships, ease investors’ entry into high-potential markets and support entrepreneurs and value-added initiatives.

During the closing day, several business institutions and international companies delivered comprehensive presentations on strategic projects and diverse investment opportunities across sectors including technology, finance, professional services, real estate, artificial intelligence, ports and tourism. These sessions enabled participants to explore a wide range of promising investment prospects.

GIF 2025 saw the participation of an elite group of senior international figures, including His Excellency Salah Al Shamsi, Chairman of Liwa Investment; Dr Tasyir Al Khunaizi, Partner and Deputy CEO of the Georgia Saudi Investment Corporation; Aref Al Abbar, Chairman of the Emirates Hobbies Association; and Ahmed Al Dakheel, Chairman of the Saudi Business Council – Central Asian Countries and Chairman of the Saudi–Georgian Business Council.

Other notable participants included George Svanidze, Founder of Petra Group; Ahmed Al Areej, Chairman of World Luxury Group; Dr Arif Anis, internationally recognised leadership expert and recipient of the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE); and Dr Rock Mehanna, Board Member and Strategic Adviser to Evolutions and D&B Properties and ABMC, along with a number of ministers, ambassadors, heads of chambers of commerce, leaders of economic institutions from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Georgia and other countries.

In conclusion, the Global Investors Forum 2025 reaffirmed its leading role in transforming economic dialogue into practical steps and actionable agreements that open new horizons for international investment cooperation. The launch of the Saudi–Georgian Investment Platform stands as a testament to the forum’s ability to shape meaningful initiatives that support the shared economic visions of the Gulf and Eurasian regions. The platform also lays the groundwork for future projects capable of making a tangible impact on the pathways for development and regional integration.

ATERMES, a French leader in advanced surveillance and security solutions, announces in partnership with The Imperial Electric Company (IEC), the award of a major contract by the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) for the deployment of a state-of-the-art Bird Repelling System (BRS) at Lahore International Airport.

This milestone project represents a first-of-its-kind integrated solution combining SURICATE, ATERMES’ advanced AI-enabled multi-sensor surveillance system, with acoustic and laser deterrence technologies. The system delivers a fully automated, intelligent, and environmentally friendly approach to mitigating bird-strike risks; one of aviation’s most persistent safety challenges.

The SURICATE system, developed by ATERMES in France, brings together cutting-edge optronics, embedded AI, and edge computing to continuously monitor airfields, identify potential avian threats in real time, and automatically activate deterrence mechanisms.

Once a bird threat is detected by the system’s deep-learning algorithms, SURICATE autonomously triggers the surrounding acoustic and laser repellers, driving the birds away from critical flight zones such as runways and taxiways.

This unique synergy between AI-based detection and automated multi-modal deterrence marks a turning point in airport security and environmental protection. Unlike traditional manual or time-based repelling systems, the BRS for Lahore Airport operates only when necessary, optimizing energy use and minimizing disturbance to the surrounding ecosystem.

Lionel Thomas, Chairman of ATERMES, stated: “This project is not just about technology; it’s about redefining how airports ensure safety through intelligence. By merging AI, optics, and deterrence, we’re transforming bird control into a predictive, autonomous, and eco-responsible process.”

Sajid Jamal, Executive Director of The Imperial Electric Company, added: “Our partnership with ATERMES reflects Pakistan’s growing commitment to embracing advanced, AI-driven safety systems. Lahore will become the first airport in the region equipped with such an integrated and intelligent Bird Repelling System.”

The project underscores a strong collaboration between France and Pakistan in technological innovation. ATERMES will provide the detection and control systems, while IEC, a key player in Pakistan’s engineering and infrastructure sectors, will oversee integration, installation, and local support. Together, they will ensure the delivery of a robust, scalable, and sustainable system that sets a benchmark for other international airports in the region.

Doubles down on AI-native applications and localized innovation to shape enterprise technology in the region

Ramco Systems, aglobal enterprise software company offering next-generation SaaS-enabled platforms and products, celebrated two decades of powering enterprise transformation in the Middle East. To mark this milestone, Ramco hosted Ramco@20 – Experience That Matters, a full-day event in Dubai designed to showcase its regional journey, highlight cutting-edge innovations, and bring customers and industry leaders together for forward-looking discussions.

The first half of Ramco@20 convened senior HR and payroll leaders from across the region for a thought leadership forum on the future of employee experience. Industry leaders discussed how enterprises in the Middle East are moving beyond traditional HR process optimization toward more intelligent, intuitive, and employee-centric models of workforce management. Conversations explored balancing automation with empathy, using AI thoughtfully, and elevating payroll as a trust-building touchpoint.

The second half welcomed a large gathering of customers across business units – Global Payroll, Aviation MRO, ERP, Services Resource Planning and Logistics – along with partners, and industry influencers, for a celebration honouring the relationships that have defined Ramco’s two-decade journey. Ramco’s leadership unveiled its technology vision: shifting from Systems of Record to Systems of Intelligence through AI-native applications, agentic workflows, and conversational UX. The leadership’s address also emphasized its investments in platform modernization and localized initiatives, while outlining a roadmap to further strengthen Ramco’s focus for the next 20 years.

Abinav Raja, Managing Director, Ramco Systems, said, “The Middle East has been a cornerstone of Ramco’s growth story for two decades and has shaped our thinking in profound ways. The region’s appetite for transformation has inspired us to design solutions that combine global best practices with local relevance. This milestone is built on the trust and partnership of our customers, and our commitment is clear: double down on AI-native, API-first applications that incorporate special features aligned with the region, platform modernization, and customer-centricity. We are shaping the future of enterprise technology with solutions enabling businesses to focus on what truly matters: growth and people.”

Sandesh Bilagi, Chief Operating Officer, Ramco Systems, said, “Our presence in the Middle East has been built on strong partnerships and a commitment to delivering outcomes. This region is not merely a market for us, but also a proving ground for ideas that redefine global enterprise technology.  The presence of all our business units in this region makes the Middle East a key pillar and reflects the confidence our customers have placed in us for twenty years.“

“Our investments in agentic AI, conversational UX, and platform innovation are designed to deliver enterprise applications that are intuitive, secure, scalable and integrate regional nuances,” Bilagi added. “We also focus on customer-focused initiatives like local deployment and training because every digital journey is, at its core, a human journey. The region is setting global benchmarks, and we are proud partners of the next era of enterprise innovation.”

Over the past two decades, Ramco has partnered with leading enterprises across the region, enabling digital transformation through innovative solutions. Its work in the Middle East has been shaped by sectors and functions that demand precision at scale – payroll, aviation, manufacturing, conglomerates, trading, infrastructure, professional services and logistics – giving Ramco an execution depth that continues to define its competitiveness in the region.