JEDDAH, 23 February 2005 — Leading businessman Sheikh Ismail Abu Dawood, former chairman of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, died here yesterday after prolonged illness. He was 93.
Abu Dawood was the chairman of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry since its establishment until his death.
Abu Dawood will be buried at Al-Baqie graveyard in Madinah today.
Abu Dawood, who headed the Abu Dawood Group, dominated the world of business for over seven decades.
He had been a prominent partner in the economic reforms that have taken place in the Kingdom over the years.
The Shahbandar Altujar “Leader of Businessmen” — as he was called — spent over 37 years as the chairman of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Abu Dawood was a philanthropist and was known to be one of the most generous businessmen of the city. He has sponsored a large number of poor families, orphans and widows in Saudi Arabia.
His group is engaged in a variety of businesses all over the Kingdom. He was instrumental in establishing “Proctor and Gamble” in Saudi Arabia.
The Shahbandar’s last formal participation as chairman of the Islamic Chamber was in April 2004 during a conference of the Association of Islamic Chambers in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh.
He took part in the budget session of JCCI last year.
