28 February 2025
SW International was honoured to participate in the World Governments Summit (WGS) 2025, held in Dubai, UAE, from 11 to 13 February. As a recognised knowledge member of WGS, SW was represented by SW International Chairman Mr. Zhang Ke, who led a delegation to the summit, joining 30 heads of state and government, 80+ international organisations, 140 government delegations, and 6,000+ participants.
Under the theme ‘Shaping Future Governments’, the 12th edition of the summit gathered global leaders to explore key future trends in governance and critical sectors. Notable attendees included Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla; Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google; Joseph Tsai, Chairperson of Alibaba; Larry Ellison, Chairman and CTO of Oracle, Boris Johnson and Tony Blair, former UK Prime Ministers, amongst others.
During the Summit, Mr. Zhang Ke participated in a one-to-one interview with Phoenix TV, where he shared his perspectives on international expansion, AI and digitalisation’s impact on global industries.
On 12 February, SW had the privilege of hosting a dinner at Jumeirah Al Qasr, bringing together over 40 distinguished guests from the summit for an evening of meaningful connections and strategic networking. Among the attendees were His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy, and Mohamed AlSharhan, Managing Director of the World Governments Summit.
As part of the Middle East tour, the SW delegation engaged in high-level conversations to strengthen relationships with key stakeholders and explore new business opportunities in the region. Productive meetings held in the UAE with His Excellency Abdulla Al Saleh, Under Secretary of the UAE Ministry of Economy, and His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, offered valuable insights into regional investment policies and economic collaboration.
With H.E. Abdulla Al Saleh, third from the right
With H.E. Helal Saeed Almarri, third from the right
To further reinforce SW’s regional footprint and foster partnerships, the delegation met with Mr. Wang Xiaojia, Counselor at the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Dubai, and Mr. Wu Jie, Counselor at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Both counselors recognised SW’s efforts in global expansion and explored ways to support Chinese enterprises in strengthening their presence in the Middle East. These discussions align with SW’s strategic vision of fostering deeper economic and business ties across the region and beyond.
With Mr. Wang Xiaojia, third from the left
With Mr. Wu Jie, second from the right
The Middle East tour also included visits to SW member firms in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where our global leaders engaged in fruitful dialogue on business development, market expansion and long-term strategic co-operation. A key highlight was the signing of a co-operation agreement between SW Tenet in the UAE and MBS Global Investment, a Qatari royal-backed investment group, reinforcing SW’s commitment to fostering global synergies.
With SW Tenet team in the UAE
Signing ceremony between SW Tenet in the UAE and MBS Global Investment
With Saudi Arabia team
The delegation further visited a site of a major Chinese-invested project in Saudi Arabia, including the $3.5 billion Riyadh Medical City MEP Engineering Project, gaining first-hand insights into local investments and cross-market engagement.
With Mr. Cao Junning (second from right), CITIC Construction, and
Mr. Li Linjiang (second from left), Shanxi Construction Investment Group
As the Middle East continues to emerge as a dynamic global hub, SW stands ready to empower businesses with the insights, networks and strategic support needed to thrive in this evolving landscape. With a forward-looking approach, SW continues to connect businesses, industries and economies, facilitating a bridge between the Middle East and the world.