Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA) announced the issuance of a royal decree approving 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 United Kingdom serving as vice chairman.

Among the appointed members are Prof. Georges Affaki from France, Abby Cohen Smutny from the United States, and Dr. Mohamed Abdel Raouf from Egypt, alongside Saudi experts Dr. Saud Al-Ammari, Abdulaziz Mohammed Al-Subaie, Dr. Abdullah Alajlan, and Musaab Al Muhaidib. Also joining the board is Jingzhou Tao, a French-Chinese expert in arbitration.

The board of directors, as the highest governing authority, will be responsible for overseeing strategic planning, policy approvals, and procedural oversight while maintaining full independence from case management.

Under the newly appointed board, SCCA has also restructured its advisory committee, now operating under the Global Advisory Committee.

The committee comprises 16 international experts in arbitration and dispute resolution, including independent arbitrators, legal consultants with experience in leading international arbitration centers, and law professors from renowned institutions worldwide.

Their role will include providing technical advice, monitoring global arbitration trends, refining procedural rules, and recommending enhancements to SCCA’s services.

Chairman Walid Abanumay expressed his appreciation for Saudi leadership’s continued support of the SCCA and emphasized that this new board formation will further strengthen the center’s role in advancing commercial arbitration and alternative dispute resolution in Saudi Arabia and beyond.

He reaffirmed the SCCA’s ambition to become the preferred arbitration center in the MENA region and one of the leading institutions globally by 2030.

SCCA CEO Dr. Hamed Merah highlighted that the diverse expertise within the board and advisory committee will contribute significantly to the center’s development.

He stressed that the board operates independently, with its primary function being supervisory rather than managerial, ensuring the SCCA’s neutrality and independence in arbitration proceedings.

Meanwhile, the SCCA Court, responsible for handling technical arbitration matters, operates separately from the board, committees, and executive staff.