GFOIS : A landmark international gathering focused on investment, wealth, and the future of global capital — with growing opportunities for engagement with emerging markets and Africa.
Miami, Florida, May 2026. The Florida Africa Chamber of Commerce participated in the Global Family Office Investment Summit (GFOIS) on May 6 and 7, 2026, at the Trump International Beach Resort in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida.
The edition marked the 10th anniversary of the Global Family Office Investment Summit and was held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Al Khalifa, bringing together family offices, private investors, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and international investment stakeholders.
Under the overarching theme of “Connecting Minds & Creating the Future,” the summit provided a high-level platform for dialogue on some of the major forces shaping the global economy, including private investment, venture capital, private equity, real estate, artificial intelligence, financial technology, digital assets, health and longevity, medical innovation, energy transition, and next-generation wealth strategies.
For the Florida Africa Chamber of Commerce, participation in this international gathering was fully aligned with its mission to promote global economic connections and identify new bridges between Florida, international markets, and the African continent.
An active participation by the Florida Africa Chamber of Commerce
The Florida Africa Chamber of Commerce was represented by its President, Mr. Gabriel Mvogo Saint, who actively participated in the summit’s discussions, meetings, and networking opportunities.
His participation provided an opportunity to engage directly with family office representatives and international investment stakeholders regarding the role of Florida as a gateway to the U.S. market, as well as the emerging opportunities at the intersection of international capital and African economies.
During these exchanges, Mr. Gabriel Mvogo Saint emphasized the importance of building meaningful and structured bridges between private capital, investors, entrepreneurs, and high-growth markets.
“Florida is now far more than a dynamic American market. It has become a truly global platform connecting capital, talent, and markets. Through the Florida Africa Chamber of Commerce, our ambition is to help build structured bridges between family offices, international investors, and the opportunities presented by African economies. Africa should not be viewed merely as a market of the future, but as a strategic investment destination today.” – Gabriel Mvogo Saint, President of the Florida Africa Chamber of Commerce
For the Chamber, these discussions reaffirm the relevance of an approach centered on strategic connections, institutional dialogue, and the creation of tangible business opportunities between Florida and Africa.
An opening address Highlighting Sunny Isles Beach
The Florida Africa Chamber of Commerce also wishes to recognize Mayor Larisa Svechin of Sunny Isles Beach, who delivered the opening address for this edition of the summit.
The Mayor’s participation helped anchor this international gathering within the community that hosted it, at the heart of one of South Florida’s most internationally recognized destinations and one of its most dynamic residential, economic, and investment environments.
The Chamber extends its recognition to Mayor Larisa Svechin and emphasizes the importance of local government engagement in welcoming international events that bring together leading economic, financial, and investment decision-makers.
The involvement of the City of Sunny Isles Beach also reflects the growing role played by South Florida’s municipalities in attracting international capital, supporting luxury real estate development, and fostering economic ecosystems serving a global clientele.
Congratulations to Anthony Ritossa on a decade of the GFOIS
The Florida Africa Chamber of Commerce extends its congratulations to Mr. Anthony Ritossa, Founder and CEO of Global Family Office Investment Summits, on reaching this significant milestone: the tenth anniversary of the Global Family Office Investment Summit series.
Over the course of its editions, the GFOIS has established itself as a platform for meaningful interaction among private investors, family offices, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and international stakeholders seeking new opportunities for collaboration and investment. The 2026 Miami edition highlighted the summit’s ability to bring together individuals and institutions from diverse geographic and professional backgrounds around shared priorities: preserving and growing wealth, fostering innovation, pursuing long-term investment strategies, and identifying new drivers of value creation.
The Florida Africa Chamber of Commerce congratulates Mr. Anthony Ritossa and his entire team on a decade dedicated to developing an international platform for dialogue, connection, and collaboration among private capital stakeholders.
Recognizing the Contributions of Nicolas Tétrault
The Florida Africa Chamber of Commerce also wishes to recognize the interventions and contributions of Mr. Nicolas Tétrault, M.Sc., a member of the summit’s Advisory Board, who was among the distinguished individuals associated with the program of this anniversary edition. His involvement contributed to broader discussions surrounding the major contemporary issues facing international investors, particularly in areas such as innovation, healthcare, technology, and long-term investment strategies.
The Chamber believes that the diversity of expertise represented at the summit is one of its greatest strengths: creating an environment in which professionals from different industries and backgrounds can exchange perspectives, identify common interests, and explore opportunities for collaboration.
A symbolic moment at the intersection of Sport and Economic Diplomacy
The participation of the Florida Africa Chamber of Commerce was also marked by a unique moment connecting sport, diplomacy, and international economic engagement.
During the summit, Mr. Gabriel Mvogo Saint presented two official FIFA footballs as part of a symbolic presentation before investors, business leaders, and distinguished guests attending the gathering in Miami.
The first was a special limited-edition football associated with the FIFA Club World Cup, presented as a unique collector’s item bearing the signatures of numerous international personalities from the worlds of sport, politics, and public life, including Cécilia Athias, former First Lady of France, as well as internationally renowned football figures such as Ronaldo Nazário, known as “El Fenômeno,” Pepe, the former Portuguese international, and Roberto Baggio, the Italian football legend.
The second football was a special and unique edition of the FIFA World Cup 2026 official ball, created in connection with the World Youth Forum and signed by Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA.
The presentation served as a reminder of the increasingly important role of sport in contemporary international relations. Beyond athletic competition, major global sporting events have become platforms for international diplomacy, visibility, relationship-building, and the creation of new economic connections.
The presence of these two footballs at a summit dedicated to private capital and international investment therefore created a symbolic link between sport, diplomacy, youth, investment, and international cooperation.
The Chamber extends its appreciation to Mr. Michel Thomas and The ECO Channel in Miami for their contribution to this special moment and for their commitment to highlighting initiatives that bring together economic, environmental, social, and international perspectives.
The presentation of the footballs also reflected a conviction shared by the Florida Africa Chamber of Commerce: major international sporting events can serve as catalysts for economic relations and international cooperation, particularly as the United States, Canada, and Mexico prepare to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Family Offices and the new geography of investment in Florida
The Florida Africa Chamber of Commerce’s participation in the 2026 GFOIS comes at a time when South Florida is playing an increasingly important role in the global geography of private capital.
Miami and the broader South Florida region including Miami Beach, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami-Dade County, and the area’s major economic centers have emerged as strategic destinations for international investors, entrepreneurs, private wealth holders, and family offices.
This dynamic now extends well beyond real estate. It encompasses technology, artificial intelligence, healthcare, life sciences, financial services, venture capital, hospitality, tourism, infrastructure, and emerging industries.
For family offices, Florida offers a particularly compelling environment: a strong international appeal, a dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem, a strategic geographic position connecting North America, Latin America, and the Caribbean, and an increasingly sophisticated capacity to attract capital and talent from around the world.
It is within this evolving landscape that the Florida Africa Chamber of Commerce intends to advance its mission.
And what if Africa Is the next frontier?
For the Florida Africa Chamber of Commerce, the development of stronger relationships between Florida and Africa represents a strategic opportunity that deserves increasing attention from international investors and family offices.
Africa is undergoing profound economic transformation, driven by demographic growth, rapid urbanization, infrastructure needs, energy potential, natural resources, digital development, and the emergence of a new generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders.
The question is therefore no longer simply how to attract African capital to Florida. It is also how to create the conditions that enable international capital based in Florida to access well-structured investment opportunities across African markets.
Developing these bridges will require professional approaches, deep market knowledge, rigorous project selection, sound governance, and appropriate investor support.
This is precisely where the Florida Africa Chamber of Commerce intends to play a role: helping connect businesses, investors, family offices, institutions, and entrepreneurs in Florida with the economic and investment opportunities emerging across Africa.
Participation in the 2026 Global Family Office Investment Summit in Miami therefore represented another opportunity for the Chamber to advance this vision within an international environment where private capital leaders and long-term investors come together to exchange ideas and explore new possibilities.
At a time when Miami is establishing itself as one of the world’s major gateways to the Americas, the Florida Africa Chamber of Commerce seeks to contribute to the development of a new strategic bridge:
from Florida to Africa – and from Africa to Florida.
This ambition is grounded in a simple conviction: the defining opportunities of the next decade will increasingly depend on the ability to connect markets, capital, talent, and territories.
The Florida Africa Chamber of Commerce extends its appreciation to the organizers, partners, speakers, and participants of the Global Family Office Investment Summit for this landmark anniversary edition. The Chamber congratulates Mr. Anthony Ritossa and the entire GFOIS team on this important milestone and looks forward to continuing the conversations initiated in Miami while exploring new avenues of economic cooperation between Florida and Africa with family offices and international investors.
