Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Profile: New Saudi Labor Minister Adel Fakieh | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Jeddah, Asharq Al-Awsat- King Abdullah Bin-Abdulaziz, the custodian of the two holy mosques, issued a royal decree this week appointing Engineer Adel Bin-Muhammad Bin Abdul-Qadir Fakieh as Minister of Labor, after he was relieved of his post as mayor of Jeddah. King Abdullah also issued a royal decree appointing Dr Hani Bin-Muhammad Bin-Ahmad Abu-Ras as mayor of Jeddah in the top-grade category. He was recommended by the minister of municipal and rural affairs.

The two royal decrees were based on Articles 57 and 58 of the status of government and that of ministers, deputy ministers, and top-grade category civil servants. King Abdullah urged the concerned sides to adopt and implement the two decrees.

The decision to have Faqih succeed the late Ghazi al-Gosaibi as Minister of Labor did not come as a surprise. In fact, reports were leaked during al-Gosaibi’s illness that Faqih was a top candidate for the post.

Eng Adel al-Faqih, who worked as mayor of Jeddah until midnight August 18 2010, holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from King Abdulaziz University. He is one of the most prominent economists of the country. For 11 years he has been chairman of the Savola Group, which is one of the largest and most active Saudi companies. Before that he was chairman of Al-Jazeera Bank and member of the board of directors of the Trade and Industrial Chamber of Commerce in Jeddah. He was also a member of the Holy Mecca Provincial Council, member of the Supreme Commission for Tourism, and member of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yunbu. He was also member of the board of administration of the Fund for Management of Human Resources and member of the board of directors of the Hayil Development Authority. This is in addition to the membership of the board of administration of the Power Services Regulation Authority, and that of the board of governors and executive committee of the Al-Marai Group. He was also chairman of the council of directors of the Saudi Arabian Glass Company, the Sagco.

The post of Jeddah mayor held by Eng Faqih from March 2005 is seen as one of most important jobs he has had. During the last six years, he dealt with many problems in Jeddah, which drew international attention. The largest of these problems was perhaps the floods that occurred late last year in 2009. The case was not unique, but then there was the dengue fever that nearly turned into a plague in the town. Efforts to combat it are still under way.

Eng Adel Muhammad Bin Abdul-Qadir Faqih was born in Mecca in 1379 Hegira (1959). He comes from an honorable, well-known family in the field of finance and business, which is involved in the management of large-scale economic enterprises in Jeddah and Mecca.