JEDDAH, 12 May 2005 — The Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) under the patronage of Prince Abdul Majeed, governor of Makkah, elected prominent Saudi businessman Sheikh Saleh Abdullah Kamel, president of “Dallah AlBaraka Group,” to its president.
The ceremony which took place at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Tuesday, was attended by Prince Mishal ibn Majed, governor of Jeddah, along with a number of prominent business figures from around the Islamic and Arab World.
The post had fallen vacant following the death of Ismail Abudawood, who was chairman of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) for 37 years. Abudawood, who died last February, was chosen for the ICCI post in 1992. It is the first time that the candidate has been elected by secret ballot.
Under ICCI rules, the eldest of Abudawood’s deputies, Dr. Rateb Al-Shalah, head of the Syrian Chamber, has been acting as caretaker president. With the election of Kamel the Islamic chamber gets a prestigious figure to head the organization. Aqeel Jasem, ICCI secretary general, told a press conference on Tuesday that the 43rd executive Islamic chamber session will be held in Jeddah later this month.
“I hope that the session — the 43rd - will be successful, especially with the facilities provided by the Kingdom for the 17 members of the Islamic chambers,” Jasem said.
Sheikh Kamel said in his unusually long speech that he was grateful to the Iranian candidate who withdrew from the election competition leaving the post for him. “I thank my Iranian competitor and I hope I am up to the duty which was occupied by a great man like Abudawood,” said Sheikh Kamel.
Members of the JCCI — the host of the event — said that the number of events that is held by the JCCI had risen from about 200 a year to almost 1,000 events during the nine months since Adel Faqeeh was appointed as the mayor of Jeddah.
