The company began operations in 1979 with Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal, a pan-Arab business and economy magazine covering the economy and the industry in the Arab countries. The magazine was a pioneer in this endeavor and quickly gained ground among decision-makers in the region for providing an authoritative source of news, insight and analysis to Arab readers.

In the early 1990’s, the company launched a new business line of conferences and exhibitions to foster investment in the region. On average, the Group organizes and markets about 15 conferences per year in the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. The focus of our conferences is centered on building economic ties, capital markets, trade, investment, IT and telecommunications, tourism, insurance, power and infrastructure. The Conferencing Division also provides seminars, roundtables and event planning and marketing.

Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group today is a multi-faceted institution encompassing a number of business divisions. The independent, private company boasts a shareholder base of 45 leading corporations and investors from many Arab countries. Aside from its flagship magazine by the same name, and Al Defaiya defense magazines, the Group’s businesses include Al Hasnaa social and women magazine, and Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Al-Lubnaniya which was launched in 2009 to focus on the Lebanese market.

The idea of establishing the first Chamber of Commerce & Industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, emerged by the desire of elite unlighted businessmen in Jeddah city ,to connect and cooperate to develop the Economic movement. The idea was accomplished by declaring its private Royal Decree in Imm ElQura in the city of Jeddah on the 15th of Safar 1365 H corresponding to the 18th of January 1946. Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry is considered the first established Chamber in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Chamber is a non-profit organization representing within its specialties the Commercial and Industrial jurisdiction. For the last 66 years, the Chamber has been setting the Economic Social service foundations and the basis of its activities in various Commercial, Industrial and Service areas and building its edifices and its services to the private sector in order to achieve its objectives, where 20 sessions of the Jeddah Chamber Council have succeeded ,achieving a lot of accomplishments to enhance and reinforce its presence in the Kingdom as an active institution ,putting in mind developing its members services, especially business owners, in the Economical sectors, from Commercial ,Industrial, Investments, Services to professional and all in the context of wide variety of activities.

The Council of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry in its 20th session was keen on adopting strategic goals and initiatives, enabling the Chamber to efficiently offer its services to the business owners and high quality to meet the aspiration and needs of the business sectors.