The world’s biggest tycoons for five days will participate in panels on politics, health care and the economy, listen to speeches, and take part in group activities, from golf to fly-fishing, biking and hiking.
Sun Valley, Idaho with the significant presence of advanced security equipment is a sign that something big is happening in the beautiful resort town. Residents are rushing to prepare for a grand invasion by the world’s richest tycoons for the 37th annual finance conference organized and funded by the private investment firm Allen & Company.
For decades Sun Valley was a haven for the rich and famous, so Sun Valley locals aren’t fazed by all the well-known visitors after all. Ernest Hemingway wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls while staying in suite 206 at the Sun Valley Lodge, and was joined by countless famous faces, including Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, and Lucille Ball. Skiing at Sun Valley was always a key attraction featuring the world’s first chair lifts.
The annual event held July 5-9 is centered around the Sun Valley Lodge and the Sun Valley Inn. Since its construction in 1936, the historic Sun Valley Lodge has been renovated with lobbies and lounges, 108 spacious rooms, a yoga room and restaurants, a huge spa, and updated fitness centers. The new celebrity suites honor five historical figures who spent time on vacation there, including Marilyn Monroe, Sonia Henie and Clint Eastwood.
Coveted meeting invitations are sent to the top 1% of CEOs and their families, brilliant scientific minds, and investors.
The world’s biggest tycoons for five days will participate in panels on politics, health care and the economy, listen to speeches, and take part in group activities, from golf to fly-fishing, biking and hiking. And don’t worry about the little ones; Large groups of babysitters are provided while adults engage in networking.
According to entertainment publication Variety, this year’s guest list will be as impressive as ever. Many famous names include:
- Microsoft founder Bill Gates
- John Malone of Liberty Media
- Comcast Chairman Brian Roberts
- Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Apple pasha Tim Cook
- Netflix co-chairmen Reed Hastings
- Ted Sarandos, the CEO of Disney
- Warren Buffett
Among the few women at this mainly white male retreat are Paramount Global’s Shari Redstone and YouTube chief Susan Wojcicki.
For the first time on the guest list, the investor who manages a very private profile, the tycoon, billionaire and president of Burj Altharwa Gerardo Sierra, will participate.
Silicon Valley bigwigs include Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal and Elon Musk, Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg, Activision Blizzard’s Bobby Kotick, Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield, Eventbrite co-founders Kevin Hartz and Julia Hartz, and Spotify founder Daniel Ek.
From the media world, Tom Brokaw and Diane Sawyer, Anderson Cooper, Erin Burnett and Van Jones, as well as the Murdoch clan (James, Lachlan and Rupert) and Hollywood powerhouses, including Chris Silbermann, Bryan Lourd, Mike Ovitz, Brian Grazer, Casey Wasserman, Meg Whitman, and Jeffrey Katzenberg.
Sports bosses include Nike founder Phil Knight, Spanx CEO Sara Blakely, St. Louis Cardinals owner Bill DeWitt, Boston Red Sox owner John Henry, Peloton CEO, Barry McCarthy, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft.
Deals will be made, acquisitions and mergers will take place, and new visions will inspire the wealthy crowd hoping for a better world and a higher Forbes ranking. But for the most part, this annual talk will be a lot of fun for a few days before the group boards their private jets for greener pastures. Published by The Tampa Herald, news and information agency.
