In the scenic resort town of Sun Valley, some of the world’s wealthiest and most powerful figures are gathering for the annual Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference, a four-day retreat often referred to as “summer camp for billionaires.” The exclusive event offers a rare chance for top business leaders to network, discuss deals, and relax- though big business is never far from their minds.
Tech Titans, Business Leaders, and Politicians Attend Sun Valley Billionaires Summer Camp
This year’s guest list includes several high-profile tech executives: Apple CEO Tim Cook, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Amazon CEO Andy Jassy.
The media and entertainment world is also well represented with Bob Iger, the current CEO of Disney, and Michael Eisner, Disney’s former CEO.
Mary Barra, the CEO of General Motors, has also made her way to the retreat, alongside political figures Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, who are both attending this year’s gathering.
Big Faces Who Are Not Invited To Sun Valley Billionaires Summer Camp?
While some regular faces have been invited, they have yet to be spotted. Some th big faces who use to attent the camp and are missing this yrar inclue Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos/
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is a notable missing this year, who was not on the invitation list. Berkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffett, who announced his retirement earlier this year will also not be attending.
What Happens At Sun Valley Billionaires Summer Camp?
While the conference offers plenty of leisure activities – barbecues, bike rides, and hike – Sun Valley is far from just a luxury getaway. Attendees are encouraged to leave their entourages and assistants behind, though some discreetly house them in nearby hotels.
The real draw of Sun Valley lies in the informal but highly influential business discussions that take place. The retreat has been the birthplace of some of the biggest deals in corporate history. It was at Sun Valley that Disney struck a deal for ABC/Capital Cities, Comcast merged with NBC Universal, and Time Warner entered its ill-fated partnership with AOL. Some of these deals proved more successful than others, but all were shaped within the quiet setting of this mountain resort.
As Warren Buffett once described, the event is known for “acquisitions by walking around,” highlighting the casual yet powerful nature of the conversations that unfold here.
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
