Mike Champion
CEO
- Company:
- Tahaluf
- Country:
- Saudi Arabia
- Biography:
- Mike Champion is a British business leader and international events strategist, currently serving as CEO of Tahaluf-Saudi Arabia's leading business events company. Recognised for his game-changing impact on the Middle East events industry, he has helped position the Kingdom as a major force in global trade, investment, and soft power through world-class events.
Since co-founding Tahaluf in 2022, Champion has led the company through rapid revenue growth of more than 42% year-on-year which puts Tahaluf into the top 20 organisers by revenue in just three years of founding.
From a founding team of fewer than five, by the end of 2026 Tahaluf will employ over 400 professionals from around the world and works with thousands of sub-contractors.
Under his leadership, Tahaluf has launched some of the most significant B2B events in history, including:
LEAP - the world's most attended tech event, ranked #1 globally.
Cityscape Global - the largest real estate show on Earth.
Black Hat MEA - the most attended cybersecurity event worldwide.
24Fintech (now Money20/20 MEA) - the biggest
Fintech launch event ever.
CPHI Middle East - the largest pharmaceutical debut in history.
Together, these platforms welcome nearly 1 million attendees annually including 100,000+ international visitors such as investors, entrepreneurs, government leaders, and Fortune 500 execs. Tahaluf's economic impact is conservatively estimated at $17.6bn between 2023-2025 - more than the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Champion also co-founded LEAP, now a global benchmark for tech conferences and a powerful example of how emerging markets can lead the future of innovation. Known for his team-first leadership style and long-term vision, Champion often credits his success to the exceptional people he works alongside-those who've helped build Tahaluf into a company with global reach and local purpose.
Born in the UK and now based in Riyadh, his career spans the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Across every project, he has helped governments and private leaders harness the power of live events to drive economic transformation. Champion continues to work at the intersection of business, culture, and diplomacy-shaping the future of the global events industry while contributing to Saudi Arabia's evolving international role.
Speaker on
Building a World Class Portfolio (To One of the Top 20 Organizers by Revenue) Within Four Years
Conference
06/04/2026
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12:05 - 12:30