Ryan Reynolds will headline LIVEX 2026 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi.
The inaugural exhibition runs from 29 September to 1 October 2026.
Reynolds previously served as Yas Island's Chief Island Officer in 2024.
The Hollywood star joins more than 100 global speakers at the inaugural liveability and investment summit.
Abu Dhabi is no stranger to welcoming Hollywood royalty, and one familiar face is heading back to the capital. Ryan Reynolds has been confirmed as a headline speaker at LIVEX 2026, the inaugural Liveability and Investment Exhibition taking place at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi from 29 September to 1 October 2026.
The Canadian actor, producer and entrepreneur will join an international line-up featuring actor and environmental advocate Adrian Grenier, YouTube co-founder Steve Chen and media personality Tucker Carlson. The programme also includes former Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, as well as government leaders, investors, urban planners, technology pioneers and other global figures. More than 100 speakers are set to participate across the three-day event.
Reynolds already has strong links to Abu Dhabi. In 2024, the Deadpool star was appointed Chief Island Officer of Yas Island, following previous ambassadors Kevin Hart and Jason Momoa. The tongue-in-cheek campaign saw Reynolds parachute onto Yas Marina Circuit before exploring attractions including Ferrari World Yas Island, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld. He also starred in Michael Bay’s 2019 movie 6 Underground, which was shot at several locations around the capital, including Al Reem Island, Aldar Headquarters, Louvre Abu Dhabi and Jebel Hafeet.
Away from his UAE adventures, Reynolds has built one of Hollywood’s most recognisable careers. While he is best known for playing Marvel’s wisecracking antihero in the Deadpool franchise, his filmography also includes The Proposal, Free Guy, Pokémon Detective Pikachu, Red Notice and The Adam Project. He most recently reunited with Hugh Jackman for 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine, while his next release, Mayday, sees him star alongside Kenneth Branagh as a US Navy pilot stranded in Soviet Russia during the Cold War.
LIVEX has been created to explore how cities can strengthen quality of life while attracting talent, investment and long-term economic development. Across six themes covering liveability, culture, education, economy, energy and health, the exhibition will showcase projects, ideas and innovations shaping Abu Dhabi’s future. The organisers have announced more than 20,000 attendees, 40 exhibitors, representatives from over 50 countries and more than 1,500 investors.
The conference programme will be complemented by an Investors Lounge created in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office and Mubadala, alongside walk-through pavilions, neighbourhood masterplans, mobility demonstrations, robotics, food and live performances.
LIVEX will also spill out into the city ahead of the main event. Community initiatives include a travelling public installation asking residents what makes Abu Dhabi a great place to live, a cycling tour encouraging people to rediscover neighbourhoods and public spaces, and Imagine What’s Next, which invites children to illustrate one magical addition they would make to their neighbourhood. Selected artwork will form part of a digital mural at LIVEX.
Where: ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street, Al Rawdah, Abu Dhabi
When: 29 September to 1 October 2026.
Contact: www.livex-global.com