The Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) was plunged into turmoil Saturday after its chaiman Saleh Bin Ali Al-Turki lost his job. Sami Bahrawi, the chairman of the Jeddah Economic Forum (JEF), a JCCI affiliate, was also relieved of his post. Al-Turki also lost his chairmanship of the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and Abdul Rahman Al-Jeraisi was delegated to the post. Al-Turki and Bahrawi were removed because they had “exceeded the regulations” in organizing last year's Jeddah Economic Forum, a JCCI source said. JCCI's board members were meeting in an emergency session late in the night to discuss the crisis. Board members declined to comment on the developments, saying only that matters would be clarified after the meeting. Turki's statement All Al-Turki had to say was that circumstances forced him to leave his post and pave the way for another leadership to pursue the march and bear the responsibility. He wished the JCCI all success under the judicious leadership of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Al-Turki is still a member of the JCCI board. Two separate meetings of JCCI members were held Thursday. The first meeting, at the JCCI headquarters, was attended by Ziyad Al-Bassam, Ibrahim Al-Sibei, Dr. Muhammad Al-Mutlaq, Abdullah Ridhwan, and Khalid Zeini. Without full board participation, the meeting lacked a quorum and did not result in any decision. Reporters were banned from entering the floor where the meeting was held. The second meeting, attended by nine other members, was held in the office of one of them to discuss the selection of the new chairman. This meeting too had no legal status because the invitation was extended only to a certain group, a JCCI source said. The next board election is due in seven months. JCCI board members are elected to four-year terms. Signs of simmering turmoil in the chamber had surfaced a couple of weeks ago when a press conference was called to announce the cancellation of this year's JEF after it was not granted the license to organize the event. Neither Al-Turki nor Bahrawi were present at the press conference to explain why the JEF, once the most prestigious business networking event in the region with nine annual events in a row featuring as speakers some of the biggest names in world politics and business, had fallen to such a state. Poorly organized Last year's JEF was poorly organized, several businessmen and attendees have said. Unlike in the past when internationally renowned vendors and consultants had helped organize the event at the Jeddah Hilton, last year's JEF was held at the Jeddah Exhibition Center with most of the organizing work outsourced locally to companies and individuals with little experience in event management on such a grand scale. As a result, JCCI sources said, JEF 2008, was a flop both in grandeur and financially. The current elected term of the JCCI board has been its most tumultuous with its chairman changed twice already. Abdullah Al-Mu'allimi was ousted in a board coup three years ago, allowing Al-Turki to become its 11th chairman. The board seat vacated by Al-Mu'allimi was filled by Abdul Khaliq Sa'eed. Sources said Zaid Bassamah appears to be the front-runner for the 12th chairmanship of JCCI.
