Global Labor Market Conference 2025 Announces Influential Speaker Lineup to Shape the Future of Work
Ahmed Bin Abdulqader
The Global Labor Market Conference’s (GLMC) second edition, taking place in Riyadh from 29-30 January 2025, will welcome a distinguished group of over 200 thought leaders, policymakers, academics and executives from more than 50 countries to drive forward innovative, collaborative solutions to address critical global labor market challenges.
Speakers Confirmed for GLMC 2025
- Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO)
- H.E. Eng. Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Investment in Saudi Arabia
- H.E. Eng. Ahmad bin Sulaiman AlRajhi, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development in Saudi Arabia
- Kersti Kaljulaid, Former President, Estonia
- Prof. James Robinson, 2024 Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics
- Sumanta Roy, Head of Middle East and Africa at TATA Consultancy Services
- Euan Blair, Founder & CEO of Multiverse
- John Hadden, CEO of Alshaya Group
- Comrade Joel Odigie, Secretary General at the International Trade Union Confederation – Africa
- Prof. Elsa Fornero, Former Minister and Professor of Economics at the University of Turin
- Yvonne Watson, Interim Executive Dean at Parsons School of Design
- David Barnes, Vice President of Global Workforce Policy at IBM
- Marc P. Giannoni, Managing Director & Chief US Economist at Barclays
- Prof. Carl Benedikt Frey, Director of the Future of Work at the University of Oxford
- Dr. Patricia McCarney, President and Chief Executive Officer, World Council on City Data
- Amanda Pullinger, Founder & Principal at Global Female Investors Management
Building on the outcomes of GLMC’s inaugural conference in 2023, more than 40 labor ministers will also convene at GLMC to participate in a roundtable with the goal of creating labor markets that are dynamic, inclusive and adaptable. Their objective is to set global benchmarks for excellence and empower a diverse workforce to thrive amid rapid global changes.
GLMC’s 2025 agenda also includes a Youth Track, which will provide a unique platform for people aged 16-25 to engage meaningfully with global labor experts. It will focus on the value that age diversity can bring to the workforce, helping younger participants gain insights and shape their career paths. GLMC will also launch a mentorship program for young participants to create relationships lasting well beyond the event.
The Youth Track will be delivered alongside GLMC’s Silver Track, a scheme designed for professionals in the later stages of their careers. Both programs will culminate in a shared session to highlight intergenerational learning opportunities, exploring how younger and older generations can collaborate effectively to build a more sustainable workforce.
Other influential participants attending GLMC include top labor market experts from organizations such as Kings Trust International, the Korea Labor Institute and the Indian Society of Labour Economics.
The conference will gather speakers from across Europe, Asia, MENA, Africa and the Americas to deliver and participate in discussions centered on six thematic pillars focusing on upskilling and re-skilling, mobile workforces, youth, technology, SMEs and the green economy.
Registration for the 2025 event is now open. If you are interested in attending, please register here. The conference’s full program can be found here.
