Royal Decree to reconstitute SCCA board for fourth term

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

The Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA) announced that a Royal Decree was issued to approve the reconstitution of its board of directors for the fourth term, set to serve until February 2028. The newly appointed board includes a mix of Saudi and international experts specializing in alternative dispute resolution, arbitration, and legal affairs, bringing a diverse set of skills and perspectives to the organization. The board will be led by Chairman Walid Abanumay, with Toby Landau from the UK serving as Vice Chairman, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Other members include Georges Affaki from France, Abby Cohen Smutny from the US, and Mohamed Abdel Raouf from Egypt. Other board members are Saud Al-Ammari, Abdulaziz Mohammed Al-Subaie, Abdullah Alajlan, and Musaab Al Muhaidib from Saudi Arabia, as well as French-Chinese Jingzhou Tao.

Under the leadership of the new board, SCCA aims to further develop its operations and elevate its services in line with international best practices, catering to the needs of businesses across various sectors.

SCCA restructured its advisory committee for rules to operate on a broader scale, now named the Global Advisory Committee. The committee includes an esteemed group of international arbitration experts from within Saudi Arabia and around the world. It has 16 members, including independent international arbitrators, legal consultants who have worked in prominent international arbitration centers, lawyers from local and foreign firms, and law professors from various international universities.

The committee's new responsibilities will include providing technical advice to the SCCA, enabling it to continue developing its operations and upgrading its services.

The committee will issue guidance for the continuous improvement of the SCCA's rules, procedures, and services. It will also monitor international trends in the arbitration industry and consult with the center regarding the introduction of new services or the review of existing ones.