The 12th International Conference on Business & Finance 2026 will advance the conference's established industry-academia platform by focusing on one of the most urgent questions facing governments, organizations, investors, and universities today: how to lead effectively through disruption. Under the theme "Leading through Disruption: The New Global Economic Order," the conference will examine the profound shifts reshaping global business, including geopolitical uncertainty, economic fragmentation, inflationary pressures, rapid digitalization, artificial intelligence, climate risk, supply chain instability, and changing workforce expectations.

Hosted by Effat College of Business, ICBF2026 invites contributions that bridge academia and industry and advance rigorous, relevant, and impactful research. The two-day conference will include an opening keynote, plenary and industry panels, a student business exhibition, parallel industry workshops, a PhD workshop, academic paper sessions, and closing reflections.

Submission Guidelines

Submissions to ICBF2026 must be original, unpublished research papers written in English, with a maximum length of 8,000 words. All papers will be subject to a blind peer-review process to ensure academic rigor and relevance to the conference theme. High quality papers will be considered for publication in partner journals and book series.

List of Topics

The 12th International Conference on Business and Finance (ICBF2026) include the following tracks:

Track 1: Leadership and strategic decision-making under uncertainty

This track explores how leaders design and execute strategy in highly volatile, complex, and ambiguous environments marked by economic, technological, and geopolitical shocks. It welcomes contributions on adaptive leadership, scenario planning, governance, and decision-making frameworks that enable organizations to navigate disruption while sustaining performance and legitimacy.

Track 2: Geopolitics, trade fragmentation, and the new global economic order

This track examines how shifting power structures, trade blocs, sanctions, and regional alliances are reshaping global value chains and capital flows. It invites research on policy responses, corporate strategies, and institutional arrangements that help firms and countries reposition themselves within an increasingly fragmented global economic order.

Track 3: Saudi Arabia’s role in Vision 2030, economic diversification, and global competitiveness

This track examines Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reforms, their impact on economic diversification, and the Kingdom’s evolving position in global markets and investment flows. It welcomes papers on policy design, sectoral transformation, public-private partnerships, and regional integration that showcase Saudi Arabia as a hub for innovation, sustainable growth, and international collaboration.

Track 4: Artificial intelligence, digital transformation, data governance, and cybersecurity

This track explores the strategic and operational implications of AI, data analytics, and digital platforms for business models, financial services, and public policy. It seeks contributions on responsible AI, data governance, privacy, and cybersecurity, highlighting how organizations can leverage digital transformation while mitigating emerging technological and ethical risks.

Track 5: Resilient supply chains, logistics transformation, and operational continuity

This track investigates how organizations design resilient, technology-enabled supply chains capable of withstanding geopolitical tensions, climate shocks, and demand disruptions. It welcomes work on logistics innovation, reshoring and nearshoring strategies, risk mapping, and business continuity planning that sustain service levels and competitiveness during crises.

Track 6: Entrepreneurship, innovation ecosystems, and new business models

This track examines how entrepreneurs and innovation ecosystems respond to disruption through new ventures, platform models, and collaborative networks. It invites papers on startup financing, incubators and accelerators, university-industry linkages, and novel business models that drive inclusive growth and resilience in turbulent environments.

Track 7: ESG, sustainability, climate risk, and responsible business

This track focuses on how environmental, social, and governance (ESG) imperatives are transforming corporate strategy, investment decisions, and regulatory agendas. It welcomes research on sustainable finance, climate risk management, impact measurement, and responsible business practices that align profitability with long-term societal and planetary well-being.

Track 8: Human capital, future of work, talent mobility, and leadership capabilities

This track explores how disruption is reshaping workforce structures, skills, and leadership competencies across sectors and regions. It invites contributions on talent development, remote and hybrid work models, global mobility, and inclusive leadership practices that build agile, high-performing organizations in the new world of work.

Track 9: Financial resilience, capital markets, investment, and risk management

This track focuses on how firms, financial institutions, and regulators build resilience in the face of market volatility, systemic risk, and evolving investor behavior. It welcomes studies on capital markets dynamics, portfolio and risk management, fintech innovations, and regulatory frameworks that support stable yet competitive financial systems.

Venue

The conference will be held in Effat University, Jeddah - Saudi Arabia

Contact

All questions about submissions should be emailed to

icbf@effatuniversity.edu.sa

sarelzarka@effatuniversity.edu.sa