Riyadh, February 28, 2025 — The Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA) has announced the issuance of a royal decree to reconstitute its Board of Directors for the fourth term, marking a new chapter in the Center's ongoing commitment to promoting effective dispute resolution. The new board is a distinguished assembly of both international and Saudi experts specializing in alternative dispute resolution (ADR), encompassing members with extensive experience in arbitration, law, and diverse business sectors. This restructured board is characterized by its rich diversity in terms of nationality, gender, and cultural background, a feature that is expected to significantly enrich the SCCA’s activities and further enhance the quality of services it provides to the Kingdom’s business community.
The newly appointed Board of Directors is the highest authority overseeing the affairs of the SCCA, with responsibilities that include approving the organization’s strategy, policies, internal regulations, and procedural rules. However, it is important to note that the board’s role is purely supervisory and does not extend to the management of arbitration cases. This structure ensures that the members, who do not hold any governmental positions, maintain their independence from case-specific operations.
The board, which will serve until February 2028, is chaired by Walid Abanumay, with Toby Landau from the United Kingdom serving as vice chairman. The team of distinguished members includes Prof. Georges Affaki from France, Abby Cohen Smutny from the United States, and Dr. Mohamed Abdel Raouf from Egypt. Alongside them are Dr. Saud Al-Ammari, Abdulaziz Mohammed Al-Subaie, Dr. Abdullah Alajlan, and Musaab Al Muhaidib from Saudi Arabia, as well as French-Chinese Jingzhou Tao. This diverse composition is expected to bring an international perspective to the SCCA’s operations, enabling the organization to better serve businesses in a globalized market.
Under the leadership of the new board, the SCCA aims to elevate its operations in alignment with international best practices, ensuring it remains responsive to the evolving needs of businesses across various sectors. The reconstitution of the board also coincides with the restructuring of the SCCA’s advisory committee, which has now been expanded into the Global Advisory Committee. This new body is made up of 16 esteemed international arbitration experts, including independent arbitrators, legal consultants with experience in prominent international arbitration centers, lawyers from both local and foreign law firms, and law professors from prestigious universities worldwide. The committee’s role will be to provide critical technical advice, guide the development of the SCCA’s services, and ensure the center continues to evolve in line with global trends in the arbitration industry.
The Global Advisory Committee will focus on monitoring international developments in arbitration and providing guidance on the continuous improvement of the SCCA's procedural rules and services. Its members will also offer input on the introduction of new services or the review of existing ones, contributing to the Center’s broader mission of becoming a world-class hub for dispute resolution.
Walid Abanumay, Chairman of the SCCA, expressed his gratitude to the Saudi leadership for their unwavering support of the Center’s activities. He noted that the new board’s formation will empower the SCCA to pursue its ambitious vision of becoming the preferred choice for alternative dispute resolution in the Middle East and North Africa by 2030, and one of the leading arbitration centers globally. Abanumay also emphasized that the SCCA operates within a well-defined framework that ensures the independence and neutrality of its arbitration bodies, which are solely responsible for managing disputes referred to them without interference from the board.
The SCCA Court, which addresses the technical aspects of arbitration cases, operates independently from the board, committees, and staff, ensuring that case management is carried out with impartiality and professionalism.
Dr. Hamed bin Hassah Merah, CEO of the SCCA, underscored the significance of the newly formed board, stating that the inclusion of high-level international competencies will greatly enhance the Center’s ability to meet its goals on both local and international levels. He also highlighted the important role of the Global Advisory Committee in enriching the SCCA’s operations by providing valuable insights into international best practices, as well as helping to shape the future direction of the Center’s procedural rules and services.
With these strategic changes, the SCCA is poised to continue its growth and development as a key player in the global arbitration landscape, while further establishing Saudi Arabia as a regional leader in alternative dispute resolution.