Jeddah chamber elects first female deputy chairman

Riyadh: Dr Lama Sulaiman, the newly elected second deputy chairman of the board of directors of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), said her victory is a clear evidence of the growing influence of women in the Saudi business community.

"I present this victory, which entails great efforts, to all the business women in the kingdom. This is a victory for all the Saudi women who are making progress every day," she said.

Lama is the first woman to be named deputy head of any chamber in the kingdom. The election also makes her deputy chairman of the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry (SCC).

Lama will be second deputy to Saleh Kamel, who was elected chairman of the board of the Jeddah Chamber for a new term of four years. He was unanimously elected by the 18-member board.

Mazen Batarji was elected first deputy chairman retaining the post while Lama, who scored 10 votes of the new directors, the second deputy head of the chamber. Abdullah Mari' Bin Mahfouz, who got eight votes, was elected JCCI representative to the SCC.

Improved prosperity

Jeddah Governor Prince Mesha'al Bin Majid attended a reception on Monday night on the occasion of the election of Kamel and his deputies.

Speaking on the occasion, Prince Mesha'al said the new board's faces would bring improved economic growth and social prosperity for the city.

On his part, Kamel said the first priority of the new board would be to normalise the situation in the flood-stricken areas of the city.

Referring to the election of Lama Sulaiman as the first deputy chairwoman of a Saudi chamber, Kamel observed: "Women need to take their rightful place in society and work hand in hand with men."

Speaking to reporters, Lama Sulaiman described herself as an "iron lady in driving off several businessmen in the election", adding that her victory was path-breaking considering the fact that the elections were held under a new law that prevents contesting as a member of separate blocs.

"These blocs were under the monopoly of businessmen and they had foiled chances of women winning the election in previous elections," Lama, the lone woman representative in the current and previous boards of the Jeddah Chamber, said.

"Through the new position, I would strive to prove that Saudi women could stand on an equal footing with men. The first thing I will do is to inspect and follow up the relief programmes for the Jeddah flood victims," she added.

As many as seven women stood in the election to the board held in October but only Lama came out victorious, retaining her seat. The board consists of an equal number of six elected businessmen and industrialists. Lama was chosen in the industrialist panel, scoring 557 votes.