Dina Al Nahdi and Sarah Al Ayed (left to right)
Following the last couple of years of landmark decrees aimed at supporting Saudi women’s increased participation in the Kingdom’s economic development, there has been a surge in the number women applying for jobs across various industries, and there has been a visible increase in the number of women taking up leadership positions as well.
In line with this new environment in which women are becoming central to every industry, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Commerce and Investment Majed Abdullah Al-Qassabi has appointed six members, including two women, to the board of directors of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI).
Sarah Al Ayed
As reported by Saudi Gazette, the women appointees are Dina Bint Hassan Al-Nahdi and Sara Bint Ayed Al-Ayed, and the four men are Ahmed Bin Sajdi Al-Atawi, Raid Bin Ibrahim Al-Midaihim, Saleh Bin Nasser Al-Suraie and Mohammed Bin Youssef Naghi. Elections for all members of the board of directors were held earlier this month and the newly appointed members will begin their four-year term on the 5th of May.
Dina Al Nahdi
According to the news site, there were 10 female participants on this year’s election. However, none of them won. Both Al-Nahdi and Al-Ayed ran in the elections in the category of traders, with the former withdrawing her candidacy before voting commenced and the latter obtaining only 116 votes out of 25,375 polled. As highlighted by Yahya Azzan, chairman of the election committee, six seats on the JCCI board are reserved for businessmen and another six for industrialists, and these seats are filled by the Minister of Commerce and Investment by appointment, resulting in Al-Nahdi and Al-Ayed being selected.
