Makkah Chamber

Makkah Chamber, or the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Makkah al-Mukarramah, is a non-profit entity that aims to promote various commercial activities across commercial sectors. It also represents businesses in ministries, authorities, and public institutions and works to protect and develop them in Makkah al-Mukarramah Province.

Makkah Chamber is one of twenty-eight Chambers of Commerce and Industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and one of three Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Makkah al-Mukarramah Province, along with the Jeddah Chamber and Taif Chamber. It is also a member of the Saudi Chambers Union. The chamber's headquarters is based in the holy capital, Makkah al-Mukarramah.

The Makkah Chamber is the first chamber to request establishment and the second to be founded after the Jeddah Chamber. It was established in 1948, has a legal personality and financial and administrative independence, and is affiliated with the Ministry of Commerce. The chamber comprises the General Assembly, the Board of Directors, and the General Secretariat.‎

The Makkah Chamber was established following the Shura Council's Order No. (259) issued on September 18, 1948, to nominate the members of the Chamber's Board of Directors' first term. Then, royal approval No. (666) was granted to the Shura Council's Order on November 18, 1948. The first meeting of the Chamber's Board was held at the holy capital municipality building on November 21, 1948, and al-Sheikh Siraj Bouqari was selected as the first President of the Chamber.

The Makkah Chamber operates under an organizational and administrative strategy that aims to make it a leading model for business and community development, provide the best services, and harness the best capabilities for the private sector to create an attractive investment environment through the latest technologies and national cadres. The strategy also targets supporting Makkah al-Mukarramah's community by enhancing community contribution.

The Makkah Chamber developed a practical approach based on four priorities, which are the following: achieving organizational excellence (excellence), achieving financial sustainability (sustainability), and a vibrant community (community), as well as enhancing Makkah al-Mukarramah's status as a business hub.

The Makkah Chamber has a Board of Directors formed every four years. It also includes seventeen members: (Fourteen) members, in addition to the Chairman of the Board of Directors, two deputies, the chamber's representative at the Federation of Saudi Chambers, and the appointed Secretary-General.

The members of the Board of Directors are appointed by a decision from the Minister of Commerce. The number of members must not exceed eighteen, and no more than one member may be elected to represent a single commercial establishment. Additionally, no member is entitled to run for more than two consecutive terms; the term is considered completed if it exceeds two years.

The board of directors meets once every two months (sixty days) at least, after being convened by the board president. Urgent meetings can be held at any time when necessary. Invitations must include the meeting's agenda.

The Board of Directors of the chamber is responsible for approving the chamber's general policies and developing plans, programs, and projects that assist in fulfilling its duties. The board also reviews proposed administrative and financial regulations, chamber employee regulations, governance regulations, and training and scholarship regulations and presents them to the General Assembly for approval.

The Board of Directors also manages the chamber's fixed and movable assets and represents it in leasing, litigation, borrowing, and accepting donations. It monitors the chamber's performance and quarterly reports, reviews the annual report, final accounts, and draft budget for approval, and presents them to the chamber's General Assembly for adoption. Additionally, the board provides the Ministry of Commerce with copies of these documents.

The board is responsible for appointing and terminating the services of the Secretary-General of the Chamber, forming sectoral and internal committees, and delegating them as deemed appropriate.

The Makkah Chamber comprises several (twenty-seven) sectoral committees to develop the economic sectors and address the challenges of various commercial sectors.

The Makkah Chamber achieved a record number of members, with a growth surge of 13 percent during 2021, where the number of female members reached 13,000.

At the level of initiatives, the Makkah Chamber for Exhibitions and Events Center was established. It was the first of its kind in the holy capital and the largest in Makkah al-Mukarramah Province. The center aims to serve the economy of Makkah and align with the Kingdom's directions. The project's building was implemented on ten thousand m and targets fifty thousand visitors annually. Additionally, the chamber includes the Makkah Center of Arbitration and Conciliation, along with the Makkah Center for Entrepreneurship and Business and Makkah Chamber Training and Rehabilitation Center.

In 2022, the chamber launched a comprehensive electronic portal as part of the digital transformation plans derived from its strategic plan for 2022. This initiative aims to enhance the efficiency of the operational processes to achieve organizational excellence. It represents an advanced step towards modern digital transformation and serves as a cornerstone for an integrated system that supports various activities carried out by different administrations of the general secretariat to serve beneficiaries.