UK Finance Minister to Attend Saudi Investment Summit and Hold Gulf Trade Talks

Riyadh, October 27, 2025 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – British Finance Minister Rachel Reeves will attend the Future Investment Initiative (FII) summit in Riyadh on Monday and hold trade discussions with Gulf officials, marking the first visit by a UK finance minister to the region in six years, officials said.

Saudi Arabia is hosting its flagship annual gathering of political leaders, investors, and business executives this week. Reeves is expected to meet with senior Saudi royals, members of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, and leading figures from the private sector.

Last year, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) acquired a 15% stake in London’s Heathrow Airport from Spain’s Ferrovial, and further investment announcements are expected during the summit.

Riyadh Air, the Kingdom’s new state-owned airline, which ordered 25 Airbus A350 aircraft partly built in the UK, has announced its inaugural flight will be to London Heathrow.

Reeves is also set to meet her counterparts from Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar to advance talks on a trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) — a goal pursued by successive British governments since the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union in 2020.

“She is expected to set out an ambition to work constructively toward this in her conversations with Gulf counterparts, while being honest over areas of divergence and cultural differences,” the UK finance ministry said.

Trade Minister Chris Bryant told parliament earlier this month that discussions with the GCC were at “an advanced stage,” despite concerns raised by trade unions close to the Labour Party about workers’ rights and other issues in the region.

The UK finance ministry estimates that a GCC trade deal would add £1.6 billion ($2.2 billion) annually to the British economy — equivalent to about 0.06% of GDP.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates last year.