US-Saudi event to include CEOs from Chevron, Qualcomm, Pfizer, source says

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By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S.-Saudi Arabia investment forum to take place in Washington during the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this week is expected to include CEOs from Chevron, Qualcomm, Cisco, General Dynamics and Pfizer, according to a source familiar with the event.

In bin Salman’s first trip to the U.S. since 2018, he is expected to tout the growing business ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia.

Senior executives from IBM, Alphabet’s Google, Salesforce, Andreessen Horowitz, Halliburton, Adobe, Aramco, State Street and Parsons Corp are also expected at the Nov. 19 event at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The event is planned for the day after the crown prince, widely known by his initials MBS, meets with President Donald Trump.

The forum will include panels on artificial intelligence, energy, technology, aerospace, health care and finance.

It will be the first trip by MBS to the U.S. since the 2018 killing of Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Istanbul, which caused a global uproar. U.S. intelligence concluded that MBS approved the capture or killing of Khashoggi, a prominent critic.

The crown prince denied ordering the operation but acknowledged responsibility as the kingdom’s de facto ruler.

In May, the United States and Saudi Arabia announced billions of dollars in investments in both countries during Trump’s four-day Middle East trip.

And on Monday Trump said he plans to approve the sale of U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Scott Malone and Chris Sanders)