Major oil CEOs absent from Riyadh energy congress agenda

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published October 12, 2026

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Saudi Arabia pressed ahead with the WPC Energy Congress on Monday despite a sharp change in the event’s senior industry lineup following deadly attacks and major flight disruption in Riyadh.

Chief executives from ExxonMobil, Shell, TotalEnergies, Chevron and BP, all previously expected to take part, were absent from the agenda released by organisers on Monday morning. Earlier congress material had featured several of those executives among the event’s headline industry figures.

The change should not be treated as a coordinated corporate withdrawal. BP said travel disruption prevented it from attending, but no confirmed common explanation has been established for the absence of the other executives.

Their absence nevertheless underscored the practical impact of the security crisis on a gathering designed to bring together global energy leaders in the Saudi capital. Weekend attacks on King Khalid International Airport caused deaths, hundreds of injuries and extensive flight cancellations, complicating travel into Riyadh.

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman opened Monday’s proceedings and acknowledged the seriousness of recent events while stressing that the congress would continue. The five-day gathering remains focused on energy security, investment and the long-term direction of the global oil and gas industry.

For Saudi Arabia, hosting the congress carries significance beyond the energy sector. The kingdom is using major international events to strengthen its role as a global business and investment centre, making the impact of security disruptions on executive participation closely watched by both industry and investors.