The Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration has announced the reconstitution of its board in its fourth session, incorporating international and Saudi experts in dispute resolution, as well as members with diverse expertise in arbitration, law, and business sectors. This diverse composition aims to enrich the center’s work and enhance the quality of services provided to businesses.
According to the center’s regulations, the board is the highest authority responsible for the center’s affairs, including setting its strategy, policies, and plans, as well as internal regulations and procedural rules. However, the board has no role in managing or intervening in arbitration cases. The board operates independently, and its members do not hold any governmental positions.
The new board composition, which will extend until February 2028, includes Dr. Walid bin Sulaiman Abanmi as president, with Toby Landau (British) as vice president. Other members include Professor George Affaki (French), Abby Smith Cohen (American), Dr. Mohamed Abdul Raouf Mohamed (Egyptian), Dr. Saud bin Abdullah Al Amari, Abdul Aziz Al-Sbai (Saudi), Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Ajlan (Saudi), Musab bin Sulaiman bin Abdul Qadir Al-Muhaidib (Saudi), and Jingguo Tao (French, Chinese). Under this new leadership, the center will continue to develop its work, aligning with international best practices to meet the needs of various business sectors.
The center has also restructured its rules advisory committee to fulfill broader functions under the new name “International Advisory Committee.” This committee comprises a group of high-level international arbitration experts from Saudi Arabia and around the world. The committee, with 16 members including independent international arbitrators, legal advisors from prominent international arbitration centers, lawyers from local and foreign firms, and law professors from several international universities, will provide technical advice to the center to improve its operations and services.
Dr. Walid bin Sulaiman Abanmi, the board president, expressed gratitude to the supportive leadership for its immense support, emphasizing that this reconstitution will enable the center to achieve its ambitious vision of becoming a leading arbitration center in the Middle East and North Africa by 2030. He emphasized the operational independence and neutrality of the center, with the board providing oversight without interfering in case management, leaving it to the arbitration bodies to handle disputes as needed.
Dr. Hamed bin Hassan Mira, the center’s CEO, stated that the high-level international expertise on the board will significantly contribute to achieving the center’s local and international goals. He highlighted the International Advisory Committee’s role in enriching the center with international best practices, monitoring industry trends, proposing developments in procedural rules, and tailoring services to suit the center’s operations.
