“Beyond the Game”: Exploring the economic impacts of sport and tourism at Vision Golfe 2025

As Vision Golfe 2025 gets underway in Paris under the high patronage of President Emmanuel Macron, SA-FE.org is proud to take an active role in one of the forum’s most timely and forward-looking conversations. At 17:00 on 17 June, our Editor-in-Chief Richard Barnes will moderate a high-level roundtable entitled “Beyond the Game: Economic Impacts of Sports and Tourism”, gathering influential voices from across sectors and regions to explore how the sports and tourism economies are increasingly driving new models of investment, influence, and innovation in the GCC and beyond.

This dynamic panel features:

Phanuel Abbou, CEO & Co-Founder of Thallium Consulting and President of Le Club France & Paris Saint-Germain Academy in MENA, brings a sharp perspective on how international sports franchises can power soft diplomacy, youth development and elite training pathways in the Gulf. He is likely to discuss the impact of global football expertise in the region and the potential of sports academies as platforms for education and economic development.
Abid Butt, CEO of ASSET Group, brings decades of executive experience in hospitality and real estate. He is expected to speak about the convergence of hotel development, sports venues and mixed-use tourism assets—and the critical role of infrastructure in turning short-term events into long-term economic legacies.
Marian Otamendi, CEO of the World Football Summit, will offer an international industry lens, sharing insights on global investment in football, the rise of Gulf participation in international leagues and clubs, and how sporting prestige is increasingly linked with broader national branding strategies.
Jean-Guillaume Lacoste, CEO of GL Events Middle East Africa, is well placed to discuss the logistical and operational realities of delivering major sports events in emerging markets, and how events are evolving to deliver inclusive, sustainable and tech-driven experiences that boost host economies.
Lama Al Fozan, Vice President of the Saudi Athletes Committee and a prominent advocate for women in sport, will likely focus on the rapid progress of female participation in sport across the Kingdom. She may also share insights into how Saudi Arabia is creating ecosystems that support home-grown talent while aligning with international sporting standards.
Clio Andriopoulos, Associate Director for Strategy and Innovation at MIRAL, oversees some of the Gulf’s most innovative tourism assets. Her contribution will likely highlight how destinations like Yas Island are merging entertainment, sport and cultural offerings into fully integrated visitor experiences—and the power of data, AI and immersive technologies in shaping the future.
Frédéric Garcia, General Director of Winfield Racing School, represents one of Europe’s most prestigious motorsport training centres. He is expected to speak on driver development, the growth of motorsports in the GCC and how racing academies are nurturing both talent and innovation in the region.

Together, these distinguished figures bring unique insights into the long-term socio-economic potential of hosting major sporting events, nurturing regional talent, investing in infrastructure, and forging global brand narratives. The discussion will focus on how sports and tourism intersect as strategic industries in Vision 2030 and wider Gulf transformation agendas—while also touching on sustainability, innovation, public-private partnerships, and the role of women and youth in shaping future ecosystems.

Moderating this session is Richard Barnes (pictured top of page), Editor-in-Chief of Saudi Arabia for Elites (sa-fe.org) and a leading voice in international tourism and media strategy. Barnes has decades of experience working at the intersection of journalism, destination marketing, and global events. He has led editorial operations for the official publications of the world’s largest tourism trade shows (including ITB Berlin, ITB Asia, and IFTM in Paris) and has consulted for national tourism boards and destination marketing organisations around the world. His career spans radio, television, international sports broadcasting and communications strategy—from the airwaves of Sydney and Monaco to CNN, Eurosport, and the official communications team of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

He is also the author of What’s News? A down-to-earth guide to applied journalism, and is currently working on The Race to the Future: New Ways to Go Fast, a book on how electric, hydrogen, and solar technologies are redefining global mobility.

Hosted by Business France and supported by numerous institutional partners, Vision Golfe 2025 convenes leaders from France and the Gulf to explore new pathways of cooperation in innovation, diplomacy, trade, and cultural exchange. Held in Paris on 17–18 June, it gathers ministers, sovereign funds, multinational CEOs, and leading entrepreneurs under one roof to build bridges between regions.

SA-FE.org is proud to serve as an official sponsor of Vision Golfe 2025 and to contribute actively to a dialogue where sports and tourism are recognised not merely as entertainment or leisure, but as high-impact engines of economic and societal transformation.

For more on the full programme and participants, visit: https://event.businessfrance.fr/vision-golfe/en/home/