Jeddah

As Saudi Arabia’s second-largest city, Jeddah serves as an important commercial centre and is also the setting for a series of important developments currently under way, which will secure its place on the map as a regional economic centre. While Jeddah already boasts the biggest seaport on the Red Sea and is the gateway to the holy cities of Makkah and Medina, it is also set to become home to new tourist destinations and the world’s tallest building, the Jeddah Tower. As such, the city will play a central role in achieving the Kingdom’s aim of reducing its dependence on oil and diversifying its economy, as laid out in the long-term development blueprint Saudi Vision 2030. This chapter contains an interview with Mazen Batterjee, Vice-Chairman, Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.