Richard Barnes, Editor-in-Chief of Saudi Arabia for Elites (SA-FE), has been selected to host the final major roundtable session of Vision Golfe 2026 in Paris, one of the most prominent forums dedicated to strengthening economic, cultural and strategic ties between France and the Gulf region.
The conference will take place on 18 and 19 June at the French Ministry of Economy and Finance, under the auspices of the President of the French Republic, and in the presence of senior government and institutional leaders, underscoring the strategic importance of the event.
Among the key figures involved in this year’s edition are:
- Roland Lescure, Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industrial, Energy and Digital Sovereignty
- Nicolas Forissier, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and France’s Attractiveness
- Louis Margueritte, Chief Executive Officer of Business France
Their presence highlights the high-level institutional engagement behind Vision Golfe and its role as a platform for strategic dialogue between France and the Gulf region.
Organised by Business France, the event brings together ministers, CEOs, investors, cultural leaders and decision-makers from across Europe and the Gulf. The 2026 edition will focus on resilience, innovation, cultural cooperation and long-term economic transformation across the GCC region.
Barnes will moderate the roundtable titled: “Culture as Soft Power: Franco-Gulf Synergies in Heritage and Creative Economies”
The session will explore how culture, heritage, tourism and creative industries are increasingly being used as strategic tools of influence and economic diversification throughout the Gulf — particularly in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar.
A growing focus on soft power and cultural influence
The selection of culture and heritage as the theme for the closing flagship roundtable of Vision Golfe 2026 reflects a broader strategic evolution taking place across the Gulf region.
In recent years, Gulf countries have made major investments in:
- museums and cultural institutions
- heritage restoration
- tourism infrastructure
- creative industries
- international events and partnerships
These initiatives form part of long-term national transformation programmes aimed at diversifying economies beyond hydrocarbons while strengthening global visibility and influence.
France has emerged as a key partner in this process, particularly in:
- heritage preservation
- museum development
- luxury industries
- hospitality and tourism
- education and cultural engineering
Barnes’ moderation of the final session places him at the centre of these discussions at a time when the intersection between culture, tourism and geopolitics is becoming increasingly strategic.
French Gulf Night at the French capital’s “haut lieu” of fashion
The programme at this year’s Vision Golfe event includes a high-level evening reception on Thursday 18th, known as the “French Gulf Night”, held at the Palais Galliera, Paris’s museum of fashion.
The choice of venue is significant, reflecting the growing importance of culture, luxury and creative industries in Franco-Gulf relations. More than a social gathering, the reception is designed as a strategic networking platform, bringing together ministers, CEOs, investors and cultural leaders in an informal setting conducive to dialogue.
Building on a highly successful 2025 roundtable
Barnes’ return to Vision Golfe follows the strong impact of the roundtable he hosted during the 2025 edition:
“Beyond the Game: Economic impacts of Sports and Tourism”
That session examined how sport, tourism and major international events are reshaping economies, urban environments and global perceptions across the Gulf region.
Discussions highlighted how countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE are leveraging:
- global sporting events
- tourism development
- infrastructure investment
as tools for economic diversification and international positioning.
Opening the session, Barnes emphasised the broader societal role of such initiatives, noting that sport and tourism — like forums such as Vision Golfe itself — have the power to “bring people together and challenge preconceived ideas.”
The roundtable was widely regarded as dynamic and insightful, successfully linking economic strategy with deeper questions of identity, perception and influence — themes that are now central to the region’s transformation.
A career spanning journalism, tourism and international events
Richard Barnes brings more than three decades of international media and communication experience to the role. His career spans journalism, television, live event hosting and luxury tourism communication. He has served as Editor-in-Chief for publications linked to major global travel trade events, including IFA Berlin, ITB Berlin, ITB Asia and ITB China. Through Saudi Arabia for Elites, Barnes has developed a strong editorial focus on the transformation of Saudi Arabia’s tourism, hospitality and cultural sectors, with particular attention to how the Kingdom is positioning itself internationally through heritage, luxury and high-end travel.
Promoting dialogue at the highest level
Taking place within France’s Ministry of Economy and Finance, under presidential auspices and with ministerial participation, Vision Golfe 2026 stands as a key platform for dialogue between Europe and the Gulf.
Within this framework, Saudi Arabia for Elites (SA-FE) contributes, through its editorial focus, as well as through its networking capabilities and its role as a catalyst, to a broader understanding of the region’s ongoing transformation. By covering developments in tourism, culture and investment, the site engages with themes that are increasingly central to discussions between European and Gulf stakeholders, while also helping to facilitate connections between them. Our audience reflects this positioning, offering a point of convergence between different perspectives and sectors.
Richard Barnes’ role in moderating the closing roundtable can therefore be seen within this wider context. It reflects an ongoing engagement with the conversations shaping the relationship between Europe and the Gulf, particularly at the intersection of culture, tourism and international cooperation.
In this respect, the presence of SA-FE at Vision Golfe 2026 aligns with the evolving role of specialised media in supporting informed, cross-regional dialogue.
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PHOTO TOP OF PAGE – RICHARD BARNES at VISION GOLFE 2025
Read also: “Beyond the Game”: Exploring the economic impacts of sport and tourism at Vision Golfe 2025
