List of dropouts for Saudi investor conference grows

Head of Google Cloud latest in string of big names to pull out of Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh

By Umar Farooq

WASHINGTON (AA) - Many prominent names in business and finance are pulling out of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's upcoming Future Investment Initiative over disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, creating a domino effect ahead of its start.

Google Cloud CEO Diane Greene is the latest big name to drop out, a company spokesperson confirmed to Anadolu Agency. No further comment about the decision was given.

The conference, nicknamed Davos in the Desert and slated to run Oct. 23 - 25, is bin Salman's attempt to diversify the country's oil-based economy. His plans, however, have become disrupted as the list of pullouts continues to grow amid global outcry about Khashoggi's disappearance.

Speculation continues to grow Khashoggi was killed by Saudi authorities after entering the consulate in early October.

Saudi authorities have yet to give a clear explanation of Khashoggi’s fate, while several countries -- particularly Turkey, the U.S. and the UK -- have expressed their desire that the matter should be elucidated as soon as possible.

Currently, London Stock Exchange CEO David Schwimmer, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, and Accor CEO Sebastien Bazin are among those who have yet to announce if they will attend.

Here is the list of executives who have decided to not attend the conference in Riyadh:

* World Bank President Jim Yong Kim

* Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong

* Economist Editor-in-Chief Zanny Minton Beddoes

* New York Times columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin

* Viacom CEO Bob Bakish

* JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon

* Ford Motor Company Executive Chairman Bill Ford

* Uber Technologies Inc. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi

* British billionaire Richard Branson

* Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam

* AOL co-founder Steve Case