The inaugural edition of LIVEX 2026, a new exhibition focused on livability, investment, culture and tourism, opened at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi this week, drawing global business and cultural figures to the capital. Actor and entrepreneur Ryan Reynolds, who has served as Yas Island Abu Dhabi's Chief Island Officer since 2024, joined a session on culture, tourism and cities on Tuesday, September 29, in conversation with Tyler Brûlé, Editorial Director and Chairman of Monocle.
Reynolds used the session to reflect on his experience co-owning Wrexham AFC in Wales, describing how he came to appreciate the depth of the town's stories — including an early conversation with a local vicar who casually mentioned performing "an exorcism." He also recounted a more personal story: a boy who attended every Wrexham match with his father passed away, and his heart was later transplanted into another man. That man went on to attend a match sitting beside the boy's father, who turned to him and said, simply, "That's your son."
Reynolds emphasised that authentic community-building requires listening before implementing change, a philosophy he said has guided his approach both in Wrexham and at Yas Island. Asked, half-jokingly, about a political career, he demurred: "I would like to stay married."
LIVEX 2026 is positioned as a new platform bringing together policymakers, investors and cultural figures to discuss livability and long-term urban development, with culture and tourism forming a central pillar of its opening programme. Reynolds' appearance, alongside his ongoing role promoting Yas Island, underscored Abu Dhabi's growing push to position itself on the global cultural and investment stage.