Each summer, the quiet resort town of Sun Valley, Idaho, transforms into the most exclusive hotspot for the world’s richest and most influential figures. Hosted by investment firm Allen & Company, the Sun Valley Conference, often dubbed the “summer camp for billionaires” brings together a heady mix of tech moguls, media barons, political power players, and top financiers.
This year’s four-day retreat has already drawn a high-profile guest list, setting the stage for deal-making, networking, and casual power-lounging against the backdrop of pine trees and luxury cabins.
Tech’s biggest names check in
The tech world showed up in force. Apple CEO Tim Cook, with his trademark minimalist look, was seen alongside longtime lieutenant Eddy Cue. Their presence reflects Apple’s growing media ambitions, with projects like Apple TV+ and major film releases putting the company at the center of entertainment-tech crossovers.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also made a statement, sporting oversized white sunglasses as he mingled with peers. Amazon’s Andy Jassy, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, and Google’s Sundar Pichai were all spotted too at this exclusive gathering. Variety reported that Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg was invited, though he had not been seen yet. Meanwhile, Elon Musk and newly retired Warren Buffett.
Other tech CEOs in attendance include Uber’s Dara Khosrowshahi, Spotify’s Daniel Ek, Shopify’s Tobias Lütke, Sony’s Hiroki Totoki, Coinbase’s Brian Armstrong, and YouTube’s Neal Mohan. Even the world of gaming was represented by former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick and ex-EA executive William “Bing” Gordon.
Media titans at the event
Disney’s past and present leaders, Bob Iger and Michael Eisner, were both photographed at the venue. Netflix co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Spencer Neumann, Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav, and Comcast’s Brian Roberts added to the media weight in the room. Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang and current CEO Jim Lanzone also joined the mix, alongside 23andMe co-founder Anne Wojcicki, fresh off a major acquisition win, and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman. Canva’s co-founder Cliff Obrecht also made an appearance.
Political presence was quiet but significant. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, who last attended in 2017 during Trump’s presidency, returned to Sun Valley this year. The media world was represented by high-profile journalists including Gayle King, Charlie Rose, David Begnaud, and Andrew Ross Sorkin. Former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg, who was all smiles as she strolled hand-in-hand with husband Tom Bernthal, making appearances both Tuesday and Wednesday.
What is on the agenda?
This year’s hot topics are expected to range from the rise of artificial intelligence and climate change to foreign policy tensions and the implications of Donald Trump’s return to the White House. With many AI lab leaders now mixing with tech CEOs like Zuckerberg conversations could shape hiring trends, M&A activity, and public policy.
