RIYADH, 4 November — Last week’s elections to the board of directors of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry marked the end of the 40-year-long leadership of the chamber by veteran businessman Ismail Abu Dawood.
His exit followed behind-the-scenes maneuvering by a troika of senior businessmen including himself, Abdullah Zainal and Waleed Al-Juffali.
They hatched the scheme to keep out ambitious newcomers to the corridors of power in the chamber as well as to avert a repeat of the crisis that followed last year’s elections. Last year, the Ministry of Commerce had to intervene to end a stalemate in the chamber and bring in Abu Dawood as a compromise candidate for the presidency even though he did not contest the elections.
The Taawun troika, which according to some sources had the backing of the ministry, succeeded in preventing serious differences among prominent candidates this year.
An agreement was reached before the elections to make Abdullah Zainal the chairman and Waleed Al-Juffali his deputy irrespective of the number of votes each of them polled. The decision was significant because according to the precedent, the winner of the highest number of votes would become the chairman.
None of the rival Al-Tatwir candidates or independents won a seat to the 18-member JCCI board. Only twelve members are elected.
The troika had, however, decided to confer the post of honorary president on Abu Dawood in recognition of his services to the business community.
He will also serve as a balancing power in the event of any disagreement between the chairman and his deputy. In such an eventuality, Abu Dawood might step in as the official chairman.
The chairmanship of JCCI is a passport to the presidency of the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
