EY Malta announces 'Future Realised 2026': Driving trust, resilience and AI readiness

EY Malta has announced the return of Future Realised, the island’s leading annual economic forum, taking place on 21 October 2026 at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta.

Now in its 22nd year, Future Realised brings together leaders from business, government and the wider ecosystem to discuss Malta’s competitiveness and economic direction. It also serves as a platform to present and discuss the results of the Malta Attractiveness survey, which EY conducts annually among foreign direct investors in Malta. The event brings together over 1,000 participants, including senior executives, policymakers and international stakeholders.

This year’s edition is set against a backdrop of global disruption, where geopolitics is reshaping the rules of trade, capital and technology. In this context, Malta’s ability to remain competitive will depend on trust, as a stable and reliable jurisdiction, as well as its capacity to stay agile, adaptable and AI‑ready.

Shaping Malta’s response to global change

Future Realised 2026 will focus on how Malta and Malta-based organisations can turn uncertainty into opportunity. It will explore how businesses and institutions can build resilience while scaling the use of artificial intelligence, including sovereign AI, with the right governance, controls and confidence.

Commenting on the upcoming edition, Simon Barberi, who leads the Malta Attractiveness Survey initiative at EY Malta, said:

“Future Realised continues to serve as a key checkpoint for Malta’s economic direction. The Malta Attractiveness Survey provides valuable insights into investor sentiment and the factors shaping Malta’s competitiveness. Presenting these findings at this year’s event will help frame the discussions on how Malta can respond to global shifts, strengthen trust, and position itself for sustainable growth in an increasingly complex environment.”

The programme is built around two central themes, Geopolitics and AI, offering participants a thought-provoking experience that combines strategic insight with practical perspectives.

Discussions will examine where Malta sits on the new map of power, trade and capital, providing a shared view of the global shifts shaping 2026 and what they mean for Malta’s competitiveness, investor confidence and long-term priorities. They will also explore the concept of sovereign AI, focusing on who controls the data, models and decisions, and defining what data sovereignty means in practice, alongside the governance, assurance and control frameworks needed to scale AI responsibly.

Through keynote speeches, panel discussions, and interactive engagement, Future Realised will encourage participants to critically assess today’s challenges and identify practical, actionable strategies for growth.

A platform for collaboration and dialogue

Future Realised continues to provide a neutral platform where business leaders, policymakers, academia and international voices engage on Malta’s economic outlook and Europe’s broader competitiveness agenda.

Save the date

Future Realised 2026 will take place on 21 October 2026 at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta. Early bird passes are now available, with further information at Future Realised 2026 | EY - Global . Combo passes covering both Future Realised and Engage, taking place on 24 September 2026, are also available.