Ryan Reynolds and Adrien Grenier to headline LIVEX 2026 in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi is preparing to launch a new global platform focused on the future of cities, quality of life and investment — with Ryan Reynolds, Adrien Grenier, YouTube co-founder Steve Chen and media personality Tucker Carlsonamong the first major speakers confirmed for LIVEX 2026.
The inaugural Livability and Investment Exhibition will take place at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi from September 29 to October 1, 2026, bringing together more than 100 speakers from government, technology, media, climate and investment.
Hollywood meets urban innovation
The speaker lineup gives LIVEX an unusually broad profile.
Ryan Reynolds brings both Hollywood star power and entrepreneurial experience, while Adrien Grenier has become increasingly associated with environmental advocacy alongside his acting career.
They will be joined by Steve Chen, one of the co-founders of YouTube, as well as former city leaders including Anne Hidalgo, Enrique Peñalosa and Sally Capp AO.
Rather than focusing on one industry, LIVEX is being positioned as a meeting point for people shaping the future of cities from very different perspectives.
More than 100 speakers expected
Across three days, the programme will explore how cities can improve everyday life while remaining attractive to talent, businesses and long-term investment.
Topics are expected to range from technology and climate to mobility, urban design, media and economic growth.
The idea is to look at livability not simply as a lifestyle concept, but as something directly connected to a city’s competitiveness.
For Abu Dhabi, that approach fits closely with the emirate’s broader strategy of combining economic development with quality of life.
Investors Lounge brings capital into the conversation
Alongside the main conference, LIVEX will feature a dedicated Investors Lounge organised in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office and Mubadala.
Their investment teams will be present throughout the event, creating direct opportunities for investors, founders, policymakers and business leaders to connect.
This adds a practical investment dimension to a programme that might otherwise feel largely conceptual.
LIVEX is not only about discussing what future cities should look like — it also aims to connect those ideas with the capital and decision-makers capable of turning them into reality.
Why Abu Dhabi is hosting LIVEX
Abu Dhabi has increasingly built its international reputation around a combination of infrastructure, security, culture, investment and quality of life.
Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, said livability is becoming an increasingly important factor in attracting investment, talent and sustainable economic growth.
The emirate has also ranked as the most livable city in the Middle East and North Africa for seven consecutive yearsin Mercer’s Quality of Living Survey.
At the same time, Abu Dhabi has been ranked as the world’s safest city for 10 consecutive years in Numbeo’s Safety Index.
20,000 visitors expected
Organisers expect LIVEX 2026 to attract around 20,000 visitors, more than 40 exhibitors and participants from over 50 countries.
That scale positions the first edition as more than a conventional business conference.
The event is being developed as a wider urban and lifestyle platform, bringing together international speakers, investors, businesses and members of the public.
Abu Dhabi residents become part of the event
The programme will also extend beyond ADNEC.
Ahead of LIVEX, a travelling public installation will move across Abu Dhabi for five weeks, inviting residents to share stories, experiences and ideas about what makes the city a good place to live.
A separate Community Tour will encourage residents to explore Abu Dhabi by bicycle, highlighting public spaces, mobility networks and neighbourhoods.
Children will also participate through Imagine What’s Next, an initiative asking them to imagine one magical addition they would make to their neighbourhood.
Their ideas will eventually appear in a digital mural presented at LIVEX.
A different kind of global summit
LIVEX stands out because of the mix of people involved.
Hollywood actors, technology founders, former mayors, investors and policymakers rarely appear on the same conference programme.
That diversity reflects the central idea behind the event: successful cities are shaped by much more than architecture or infrastructure alone.
Culture, technology, sustainability, safety, mobility and investment all contribute to how people experience a place.
With Ryan Reynolds, Adrien Grenier and Steve Chen among the first major names confirmed, Abu Dhabi is positioning LIVEX as a new international platform for discussing exactly that — how the cities of the future can become better places to live, work and invest.
