MEDIA ADVISORY: 2026 Meridian Summit – Shaping American Influence
Details
Friday, October 16, 2026, from 9:00 AM ET to 12:30 PM ET
WHERE: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 1615 H Street NW, Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON, D.C. As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, Meridian International Center will host the 15th Annual Meridian Summit, a forum at the intersection of diplomacy, business, and geopolitics. Executives, policymakers, and diplomats will join in discussions on what American influence looks like today and what it will take to sustain it. Topics include commercial diplomacy, economic statecraft, emerging technologies, and critical resources.
The Summit brings together more than 250 curated attendees for main-stage discussions, small-group Executive Briefings, and networking. Meridian will also present its Open Diplomacy Playbook, a resource for leaders in business, government, and communities whose work carries diplomatic weight.
WHO: Confirmed speakers include:
- Rep. Ami Bera (CA-06), U.S. House of Representatives
- Rep. April McClain Delaney (MD-06), U.S. House of Representatives
- Ambassador Mike Waltz, U.S. Representative to the United Nations
- H.E. Birgitta Tazelaar, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United States of America
- Harry Coker, Jr., Secretary of Commerce, State of Maryland
- Ben Black, CEO, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation
- Suzanne Clark, President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- Ross Perot Jr., Chairman, The Perot Companies; Chairman, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
- Conor McQuaid, Chairman & CEO, Pernod Ricard North America
- Rick R. Suárez, Senior Vice President, US President and Head of US BioPharmaceuticals Business Unit, AstraZeneca
- Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Keith Kellogg, Advisory Board Chair, BGR Group
- Goli Sheikholeslami, CEO, POLITICO
- Alina Polyakova, President & CEO, Center for European Policy Analysis
- Peter Bergen, Vice President for Global Studies & Fellows, New America
- Deborah Lehr, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Meridian International Center
- David Bohigian, CEO, Meridian International Center
Additional speakers include Combiz Abdolrahimi (ServiceNow), Ashley E. Davis (S-3 Group), Steve Morrissey (United Airlines), and Kellee Wicker (Meridian International Center).
Congressional Co-Chairs: Senator Bill Hagerty, Rep. April McClain Delaney
Summit Chairs: Pernod Ricard (Corporate Chair), ServiceNow (Global Engagement Chair), AstraZeneca (Innovation Chair)
Ambassador’s Circle Sponsors: AWS, FedEx, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Microsoft
President’s Circle Sponsors: Chevron, General Motors, Google, The Group, Palantir, Philip Morris International, Visa
MORE INFORMATION: summit.meridian.org
RSVP: Press are invited to attend. To request credentials, please contact Riley Nelson at RNelson@Meridian.org, or request an invitation here.
PHOTO/INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES: The Summit offers rich coverage possibilities. Journalists can arrange interviews with leading corporate and diplomatic figures on site. Photo/video highlights include panel discussions and networking. Please email the team at Communications@Meridian.org for more information.
About Meridian International Center
Meridian is a nonpartisan center for diplomacy founded in 1960 and headquartered on a historic campus in Washington, D.C. Our mission is to empower leaders to advance the next era of diplomacy for a better future. Our programs strengthen American leadership by accelerating collaboration on shared challenges, increasing economic competitiveness, and building geopolitical resilience. We equip leaders from business, science and technology, cities and states, culture and sports with the insights, networks, and resources to navigate a complex world.