GLMC to discuss evolution of world of work amid technological transformation

The Global Labour Market Conference (GLMC), set to take place on 26-27 January 2026 in Riyadh, will deliberate on global trade shifts, workforce competitiveness, the future skills agenda, artificial intelligence and its impact on jobs.

To be organised under the theme "Future in Progress" the conference will dwell on the ongoing shifts in the world of work driven by technological change, skills development and the need to align policies with evolving employment models.

In a press release issued yesterday, the GLMC – an international platform that brings together governments, international institutions, the private sector, experts, academics to examine the current state of global labour markets and the future needs –  announced the speaker lineup for its third edition of the conference due to be held at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.

The speaker list includes senior Saudi ministers alongside global leaders such as ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo, labour ministers from Türkiye, South Africa, Egypt and the Philippines, and senior officials from the World Bank and Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs.

Held under the patronage of the custodian of the two holy mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, GLMC 2026 will be organised under the theme "Future in Progress". More than 200 international experts, including over 40 labour ministers, heads of international organisations, leading economists, chief executives and senior policymakers, will participate in the event.

The conference is supported by strategic partnerships with major international organisations, including the International Labour Organization (ILO), World Bank, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Tourism, King's Trust International and the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk).