Noah Alireza, CEO of Golf Saudi, speaks at FII Elevated Green in Shenzhen, highlighting golf’s role as a bridge for cultural exchange and economic growth under Vision 2030

Golf Saudi, in partnership with the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute, hosted the exclusive FII Elevated Green forum in Shenzhen, China, during the Aramco China Championship. The event brought together global leaders in sport, finance, and technology to showcase golf's role as a strategic platform for foreign direct investment (FDI), economic diversification, and innovation.

Golf as a Bridge for Business and Growth

Noah Alireza, CEO of Golf Saudi, spoke at the event, emphasizing how golf is central to Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 transformation.

• Alireza described golf as a "cultural bridge that leads to trust, and ultimately becomes a bridge for business."
• He highlighted Golf Saudi's mandate, which includes course development, mass participation programs, and strategic investments across areas like retail, agronomy, and entertainment, leveraging golf as a high-growth asset class.

"We’re building the infrastructure and foundation for golf in the Kingdom, learning from global best practices... and leapfrogging to create something truly special," Alireza said.

Spotlighting the Middle East-China Innovation Corridor

The forum spotlighted successful cross-border collaboration within the Middle East-China Innovation Corridor. Speakers from firms like Primavera Capital and InfiX.ai detailed joint ventures in green energy, sustainable infrastructure, and AI.

• Philip Hu of Primavera Capital cited a "textbook example" of cross-border innovation, referencing a partnership between Chinese wind turbine giant Envision and the Saudi PIF to build green hydrogen and energy storage solutions.
• Arthur Chen of InfiX.ai discussed the role of Middle Eastern capital in advancing secure, decentralized AI innovation, noting that "Data is the new oil."

Mission Hills: The Catalyst Model

The venue, Mission Hills Resort—the world’s largest golf and leisure facility—served to underscore golf’s power to attract international investment.

Tenniel Chu, Vice Chairman of Mission Hills Group, shared how the resort acted as a "catalyst to attract foreign investors like Foxconn, Huawei, BYD, and Alibaba." He added that the golf course "serves as an extension of the green office — a place where people connect, collaborate, and build relationships."

Golf Saudi is positioning the Kingdom as a global hub for this type of sport-led investment, cementing golf as a proven economic engine and platform for global growth.