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The CEOs of ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevron, TotalEnergies and BP were missing from the latest WPC Energy Congress schedule after deadly attacks on Riyadh’s airport disrupted travel. Saudi and regional energy officials continued attending the gathering despite heightened security concerns.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement dealt a blow to Saudi Arabia’s efforts to project itself as a secure destination for global business, with deadly attacks on Riyadh’s international airport disrupting travel and several top oil executives missing from the schedule of a major international energy conference.
The chief executives of ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevron, TotalEnergies and BP had been expected at the 25th WPC Energy Congress, which began on October 11. However, their names were missing from the latest agenda released by organisers on Monday, Reuters reported.
BP confirmed that CEO Meg O’Neill would be unable to attend in person because of travel disruption. Shell declined to comment, while ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies and Chevron did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. The absence of the executives from the updated schedule does not establish that all five companies formally withdrew.
Deadly airport strikes disrupt travel
The developments followed repeated attacks on King Khalid International Airport, located around 10 kilometres from the congress venue.
A Houthi-claimed strike on Saturday killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300, according to an Associated Press report. Reuters subsequently reported a toll of 13 dead. A further attack on Sunday killed one person and injured nearly a dozen others, Saudi authorities said.
The strikes disrupted airport operations and triggered flight cancellations, complicating travel to the conference. The Houthis have also warned airlines and travellers against using Saudi airports and airspace, raising concerns about civilian aviation and regional connectivity.
More from BusinessSaudi Arabia presses ahead
Despite the security crisis, Saudi Arabia continued hosting the five-day congress, which brings together energy ministers, executives and international organisations to discuss oil and gas markets, investment, energy security and the energy transition.
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman opened Monday’s session, thanking delegates who had travelled to Riyadh while acknowledging the risks.
“Our gathering here does not mean the risk is gone,” he said, adding that the kingdom’s response to recent developments must be “equally serious”.
Iraqi Electricity Minister Ali Saadi Waheeb and Oil Minister Basim Mohammed Khudair also attended, according to IraqiNews.com. Waheeb held talks with counterparts from Turkey, Algeria and Jordan on electricity infrastructure, renewable energy and regional cooperation.
Vision 2030 faces a security test
The attacks pose a challenge to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 programme, which aims to diversify the economy beyond oil and establish the kingdom as a destination for foreign investment, tourism and international business.
Hosting major conferences is an important part of that strategy. The WPC Energy Congress was originally scheduled for April 2026 but was postponed following the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on Iran in late February.
The absence of major oil executives highlights how regional insecurity can disrupt international business events. It does not, however, establish a broader retreat by global energy companies from Saudi Arabia.
For Riyadh, the immediate challenge is to contain the security threat while maintaining international confidence in its investment ambitions.
