Adel Fakeih
{{Short description|Saudi Arabian engineer and politician (born 1959)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = عادل فقيه.JPG
| imagesize =
| office = Minister of Economy and Planning
| primeminister = King Salman
| predecessor = Muhammed Al Jasser
| successor = Muhammed Al Tuwaijri
| term_start = 29 April 2015
| term_end = 4 November 2017
| office1 = Minister of Labor
| primeminister1 = King Abdullah
King Salman
| predecessor1 = Ghazi Abdul Rahman Al Gosaibi
| successor1 = Mufrej bin Saad Al Haqbani
| term_start1 = 18 August 2010
| term_end1 = 29 April 2015
| office2 = Minister of Health
| primeminister2 = King Abdullah
| predecessor2 = Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Rabiah
| successor2 = Mohammed bin Ali bin Hiazaa Al Hiazaa
| term_start2 = 21 April 2014
| term_end2 = 8 December 2014
| office3 = Mayor of Jeddah
| primeminister3 = {{ubl|King Fahd | King Abdullah}}
| predecessor3 =
| successor3 = Hani Abu Ras
| term_start3 = March 2005
| term_end3 = August 2010
| birth_name = Adel bin Muhammad Fakeih
| birth_date = 1959
| birth_place = Mecca, Saudi Arabia
| death_date =
| death_place =
| restingplace =
| alma_mater = King Abdulaziz University
| spouse = Maha Fitaihi
| nationality = Saudi Arabian
| children =
}}
Adel Fakeih (Arabic:عادل فقيه; born 1 July 1959) is a Saudi Arabian engineer and the former mayor of Jeddah. He was the minister of labor from August 2010 to April 2015, minister of health between April 2014 and December 2014,{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/22/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-health-official-fired.html?ref=world|title=Saudi Arabia: Health Official Fired|agency=Reuters|work=The New York Times|date=21 April 2014|access-date=21 April 2014}} and minister of economy and planning between 2015 and 2017. He has been in detention since November 2017.
Early life and education
Fakeih was born in Mecca in 1959 into a family known for its active members in the fields of finance and business. His father was a businessman and published poet, and his uncle is chair of the Fakeih Group.{{cite web|access-date=29 November 2018|language=ar|title=والد المهندس عادل فقيه في ذمة الله|url=http://www.aleqt.com/2009/12/12/article_315035.html|work=Aleqt|date=12 December 2009 }} He obtained a degree in industrial engineering from King Abdulaziz University.{{cite news|title=Profile: New Saudi Labor Minister Adel Fakieh|url=http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?id=22042|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130117124251/http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?id=22042|archive-date=17 January 2013|access-date=3 September 2012|newspaper=Asharq Al-Awsat|date=21 August 2010}}
Career
Fakeih worked in both private and public sectors, holding several prominent positions such as Chairman of Al Jazeera Bank and a member on the board of directors of the Trade and Industrial Chamber of Commerce in Jeddah. He served as a member on the commissions of different organizations, including the Holy Mecca Provincial Council, the Supreme Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, the Fund for Management of Human resources, the Hail Development Authority, the Power Services Regulation Authority, and the Al Marai Group.{{cite news|title=King appoints Jeddah mayor as labor minister|newspaper=Arab News|location=Jeddah|archive-date=1 January 2013|access-date=3 September 2012
|url=http://www.m.arabnews.com/node/353057|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130101214929/http://www.m.arabnews.com/node/353057|date=18 August 2010|author=P. K. Abdul Ghafour|author2=Muhammad Humaidan}} He was chairman of the council of directors of the Saudi Arabian Glass Company and the Sagco.{{cite web|title=Adel Fakeih|url=http://www.gcf.org.sa/en/Speakers/Adil-Faqeeh/|work=Global Competitiveness Forum|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110118051035/http://www.gcf.org.sa/en/Speakers/Adil-Faqeeh/|archive-date=18 January 2011|access-date=3 September 2012}}
=Chairman of Savola=
From 1993 to 2005 he served as the chairman of the Savola Group, Saudi Arabia's biggest food company.{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/saudi-economy-fakieh/saudi-pointman-for-reform-has-troubleshooter-reputation-idUSL8N14J1X0|title=Saudi pointman for reform has troubleshooter reputation|work=Reuters|date=25 February 2016|access-date=29 November 2018}} During this period, from 2003 to 2005, he was also the chairman of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
=Mayor of Jeddah=
Adel Fakeih was appointed mayor of Jeddah in March 2005.{{cite book|title=The Report: Saudi Arabia 2010|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z6d_3NJj-uUC&pg=PA217|date=2011|publisher=Oxford Business Group|isbn=978-1-907065-31-6|page=217}}{{cite web|author=David B. Ottaway
|title=Saudi Arabia's Race Against Time|url=http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/saudi_arabias_race_against_time.pdf|work=Wilson Center|access-date=7 August 2013|date=Summer 2012|archive-date=7 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120907003656/http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/saudi_arabias_race_against_time.pdf|url-status=dead}}
In 2006, the project to turn the Old Airport of Jeddah into a new 12 million m2 city was launched.{{cite web|work=Arab News|date=19 October 2006|url=http://www.arabnews.com/node/290783|title=Jeddah's Old Airport to Become New City|author=Abdul Ghafour|access-date=29 November 2018}} In 2008, the Central Jeddah Redevelopment Project, which consisted of revitalizing a 6 million m2 area including the historic downtown, was also launched.{{cite web|url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/strategic-decisions-group/central-jeddah-project/prweb1507604.htm
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221140735/http://www.prweb.com/releases/Strategic-Decisions-Group/Central-Jeddah-Project/prweb1507604.htm
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=21 February 2009
|title=Strategic Decisions Group Advises Arab Gulf Consortium in Central Jeddah Redevelopment Project|work=PR Web|date=22 October 2008|access-date=29 November 2018}} In 2009, the city of Jeddah revealed the project for the construction of the King Abdullah Sports City.{{cite web|work=Arabian Business|url=http://www.arabianbusiness.com/saudi-reveals-vision-for-huge-sports-city-project-65267.html|title=Saudi reveals vision for huge Sports City project|date=19 February 2009|author=Andy Sambidge|access-date=29 November 2018}} The city unlocked a $1.3 billion budget to further develop the city's infrastructure that same year, for the construction of bridges, tunnels, roads and parks in Jeddah.{{cite web|work=Construction Week|author=Matt Warnock|url=http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-6433-jeddah-commits-us13bn-to-infrastructure/|title=Jeddah commits US$1.3bn to infrastructure|date=24 September 2009|access-date=29 November 2018}} In 2009, he collaborated with a recruitment initiative targeting Saudi locals, Bab Rizq Jameel, and dedicated 22 market stalls to Saudi women in the Al-Safa neighborhood (northern Jeddah) to use for displaying and selling merchandise.{{cite web|work=Al Riyadh|date=30 April 2009|language=ar|url=http://www.alriyadh.com/425828|title=أمين جدة يدشن مشروع البسطات النسائية|access-date=29 November 2018}}
He was replaced by Hani Abu Ras as mayor in August 2010.{{cite news|title=New mayor visits Jeddah's eastern districts|newspaper=Saudi Gazette|date=23 August 2010|archive-date=6 September 2013 |access-date=6 September 2013|author=Abdulaziz Ghazzawi|location=Jeddah
|url=http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.PrintContent&fa=regcon&action=Print&contentid=2010082381722&simplelayout=1|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130906093019/http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.PrintContent&fa=regcon&action=Print&contentid=2010082381722&simplelayout=1}}
=Minister of labor=
On 18 August 2010, Adel Fakeih was appointed minister of labor, replacing Ghazi Abdul Rahman Al Gosaibi.{{cite news|author=Ed Attwood
|title=Saudi Arabia appoints new labour minister|work=Arabian Business|date=19 August 2010|url=http://www.arabianbusiness.com/saudi-arabia-appoints-new-labour-minister-343569.html|access-date=3 September 2012}}
In 2014, Adel Fakeih signed a memorandum of understanding with the Sri Lankan minister of foreign employment promotion and welfare Dilan Perera to improve the rights of Sri Lankan household workers in the Kingdom, regarding their passports and salaries.{{cite web
|url=http://www.arabnews.com/news/508826|title=Sponsors can't withhold passports of Sri Lankan domestics anymore|work=Arab News|date=14 January 2014|access-date=29 November 2018}} He reviewed estimated figures by the Central Department of Statistics following discrepancies between unemployment data and the number of applicants to the national monthly unemployment allowance.{{cite web|work=Wilson Center|date=2012|url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/saudi_arabias_race_against_time.pdf|title=Saudi Arabia's Race Against Time|access-date=29 November 2018|archive-date=11 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011234555/https://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/saudi_arabias_race_against_time.pdf|url-status=dead}} In June 2011, he introduced the Nitaqat program. It reviewed the existing quota system and made it more effective as it took into account the different sectors and sizes of companies. It also enforced sanctions on delinquent firms: following a 2013 crackdown on the black market in foreign labor, over a million people left the country. He announced 38 amendments to the country's labor legislation including more training for Saudi workers, longer fixed-term contracts, and greater inspection powers for ministry officials.{{cite web|title=Govt overhauls labor law|url=http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/728971
|work=Arab News|date=7 April 2015|access-date=29 November 2018}}
On 21 April 2014, Adel Fakeih also served as minister of Health to handle a major public health crisis when the Middle East respiratory syndrome broke out, replacing Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Rabiah who had served since February 2009.{{cite news|author=Mustapha Ajbaili|title=Saudi Health Minister 'relieved of his post'|access-date=27 June 2014
|url=http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/04/21/Saudi-Health-Minister-relieved-of-duties-.html|work=Al Arabiya|date=21 April 2014}} This term ended on 8 December 2014 when Mohammed bin Ali bin Hiazaa Al Hiazaa was appointed to the post.{{cite web
|title=King Abdullah names new ministers|url=http://www.saudiembassy.net/latest_news/news12081401.aspx|publisher=Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington DC|access-date=11 December 2014|date=8 December 2014|archive-date=16 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216083037/http://www.saudiembassy.net/latest_news/news12081401.aspx}}
=Minister of economy and planning=
Adel Fakeih's term as minister of labor ended in April 2015 when he was appointed minister of economy and planning. He replaced Muhammed Al Jasser in the post,{{cite news|title=King empowers next generation|url=http://www.arabnews.com/news/739466|access-date=4 June 2015|work=Arab News|date=29 April 2015}} and was commissioned by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to develop reforms aimed at ending the Kingdom' s vulnerability to an unpredictable oil market.
In February 2016, Adel Fakeih's Economy and Planning Ministry was reported to have collaborated with the Crown Prince to develop a national transformation plan to this effect, which was officially introduced as Vision 2030 in April that same year. In March 2017, he played a forefront role at a Saudi-Chinese Investment Forum in Riyadh during which 45 agreements were signed between China and the Kingdom.{{cite web|url=http://www.arabnews.com/node/1069536/saudi-arabia|title=500 Saudis, Chinese businessmen discuss new opportunities|work=Arab News|date=17 March 2017|access-date=29 November 2018}} In April 2017, he received South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Joo Hyung-hwan to strengthen bilateral trades between the two countries, in light of the Kingdom's industries' diversification from oil.{{cite web|website=Business Korea
|url=http://www.businesskorea.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=17770|title=S. Korean Companies to Participate in Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 Project|date=7 April 2017|author=Jung Suk-yee|access-date=29 November 2018}} He also joined the board of the Public Investment Fund.
He was removed from his position after the Royal Decree announced on 4 November 2017, replaced by his deputy Mohammad Al Tuwaijri, who was also the former Head of Global Banking and Markets, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) at The Saudi British Bank.{{cite news|title=Saudi king sacks top ministers, gives more power to crown prince|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-cabinet/saudi-king-sacks-top-ministers-gives-more-power-to-crown-prince-idUSKBN1D40U2?il=0|access-date=5 November 2017|work=Reuters|date=4 November 2017}}
Arrest
On 4 November 2017, Adel Fakeih was arrested in the 2017 Saudi Arabian purge conducted by a new royal anti-corruption committee.{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/11/saudi-ministers-national-guard-economy-dismissed-171104190619900.html|title=Saudi Arabia princes detained, ministers dismissed|work=Al Jazeera}}{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-arrests/saudi-billionaire-prince-alwaleed-detained-in-corruption-inquiry-idUSKBN1D506P|title=Future Saudi king tightens grip on power with arrests including Prince Alwaleed|author1=Stephen Kalin|author2=Paul Katie|date=5 November 2017|work=Reuters|access-date=7 November 2017}} In January 2019 Reuters reported that he was not released yet.{{cite news|title=Saudi businessman, two consultants released from detention: sources|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-arrests/saudi-businessman-two-consultants-released-from-detention-sources-idUSKCN1PH2XX|access-date=5 June 2020|date=24 January 2019|location=Riyadh}}
Personal life
Fakeih's wife, Maha Fitaihi, is a leading businesswoman and social figure. They have five children.{{cite web|title=Jeddah Mayor Presents Development Plans|url=http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=06JEDDAH437|work=Wikileaks|access-date=6 September 2013|date=1 July 2006}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
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{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Ghazi Al Gosaibi}}
{{s-ttl|title=Labor Minister of Saudi Arabia|years=2010 – 2015}}
{{s-aft|after= Mufrej bin Saad Al Haqbani}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fakeih, Adel}}
Category:20th-century Saudi Arabian engineers
Category:21st-century Saudi Arabian engineers
Category:Economy ministers of Saudi Arabia
Category:Health ministers of Saudi Arabia
Category:Labour ministers of Saudi Arabia
Category:Planning ministers of Saudi Arabia
Category:King Abdulaziz University alumni