Saleh Kamel, a renowned Saudi businessman who passed away in 2020, has left behind a fascinating legacy of wealth creation. Despite his humble beginnings, he succeeded in building a multi-billion dollar business empire that continues to capture the interest of many. Reflecting on his extraordinary journey, co-authors Patricia Lancaster and Sir William Patey were inspired to pen the book, "Once Upon a Time in Makkah: The Story of Saleh Kamel Visionary, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist." This endeavour was no small undertaking, requiring extensive research and interviews with a wide array of individuals, including family members, friends, business associates, and employees. Even Sir William, who had the privilege of meeting Saleh Kamel during his tenure as the British Ambassador to countries in the region, found the project to be a challenging yet rewarding experience. The outcome is a captivating narrative that offers insight into Saleh Kamel’s remarkable life and the exceptional success he achieved.
Childhood in Historical Makkah and Jeddah
The book opens by transporting readers to the cradle of Saleh Kamel's childhood in Makkah and Jeddah. These cities held significant historical and diplomatic importance, with Jeddah serving as the diplomatic capital and housing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies until the 1980s when these functions were relocated to Riyadh. The narrative not only explores the history of Jeddah, founded around 646 CE, but also delves into the broader history of Saudi Arabia before delving into Saleh Kamel's family background. Born in 1941 into a hardworking family that had faced financial hardships, Saleh Kamel often recounted his father's struggles to make ends meet. In an interview, Kamel shared, "When we were in Makkah, my father’s salary frequently ran out before the end of the month, and we would be obliged to borrow small amounts of money from a neighbour."
Kamel’s Initiative and Leadership
One of Kamel's defining characteristics was his initiative and leadership abilities, setting him apart in his community. An example of this is when he observed the interest of Saudi boys in joining the Scouts movement and noticed a lack of Scouting supplies. Taking matters into his own hands, he decided to import these supplies, ensuring they were readily available. He described this approach as "identifying a need and utilizing available resources to address it." This innate drive to take charge extended to his success in the media industry. At just 13 years old, he witnessed his peers posting notices on a school wall, sparking an idea that led to the creation of his own magazine called "The Mirror of Scholarship." His publication garnered attention beyond the school grounds, ultimately earning him the distinction of being the first student in Jeddah to be formally recognized for his accomplishments by King Fahd, who was the Minister of Education at the time.
Following his studies at King Saud University, Saleh Kamel embarked on a career at the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs before transitioning to the Ministry of Finance. There, he consistently demonstrated his innovative thinking and strategic planning, earning promotions and commendations for his contributions to the ministry.
Kamel Saleh's Business Empire
Despite all the privileges he enjoyed while working for the Ministry of Finance, Kamel decided it was time to change career. He knew from the experience of his father and his own experience that public service would never grant him the rewards he wanted. He set his mind on building a business empire. Kamel's interest in business was not a recent development. He had been interested in the field since a very young age. He started by selling sheep bones then traditional boiled chickpeas, spices and sour pickles. One intriguing fact about Kamel is that “his compulsion to succeed was not spurred by financial motives alone... It was the challenge – the thrill of the chase and the quest for victory – that energised him the most. One of his principles in business was to reach the target and achieve satisfaction. His brother-in-law, Dr Naji Nazer rightly said, “for him that was more important than the cash rewards that accompanied success”. With his dynamic thinking, courage and enthusiasm, he had all the potential for success. Dr Naji Nazer said that “this vitality stayed with Saleh Kamel all his life”
Kamel also possessed new ideas which helped him to achieve great success. When he noticed that the postal service was confined to big cities in the kingdom, he took the initiative and launched a courier service under the name of Dallah Establishment. To do so he used all his savings to buy 30 Toyota SUVs. To minimize maintenance costs, he took the initiative to give the ownership of the vehicle to the driver after three years, providing it is kept in good condition. This strategy not only promoted responsible vehicle upkeep but also helped his company save money on maintenance, as drivers took extra care looking after the vehicles, knowing they would become theirs after just three years.
Dream Big or Settle For Nothing
The company expanded into other industries, such as maintenance and infrastructure, securing valuable contracts that established it as one of the main contractors in the Arab world. Initially, they secured a contract to maintain and operate the Kingdom's thirteen civil airports. Later, they successfully bid for additional contracts to maintain and operate all 22 airports and air bases in the country. This marked a significant growth for the group, which eventually expanded beyond the borders of Saudi Arabia. Today, the company is operational in 44 countries and employs over 85,000 people.
Amid the company’s remarkable success, Kamel’s ambitions and vision continued to grow. Embracing the idea to “dream big or settle for nothing; let your aspirations be everything,” he began setting his sights on the aviation industry. Recognizing the need for the expertise of an established company, Kamel established a joint venture between Dallah and the US-based company AVCO. This partnership gave rise to Dallah AVCO Trans Arabia Company in 1975, which quickly became a dominant player in Saudi Arabia’s military and commercial aviation industry.
Subsequently, Dallah secured a significant contract to provide cleaning services for the city of Jeddah, prevailing over a competitive field that included 12 American companies.
Pioneer of The Islamic Economy
Aligning with his mother’s wish to adhere to the teachings of Islam and influenced by Sheikh Alsharawi, a Muslim jurist at Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah and King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, Saleh Kamel chose to operate his business under an Islamic framework. He utilized the mudaraba concept in transactions with Banque du Caire, yielding unexpected success. While the typical annual interest rate on savings stood at 4%, Kamel’s application of mudaraba principles led to a substantial 24% profit for Dallah.
Seeking a deeper understanding of religion, Kamel championed discussions on Islamic finance theories and openly shared his views on Islamic economics through various mediums, including the media and his writings. In a 2017 essay titled “My Understanding of the Concept of Capital in Islam,” he offered intricate insights into his interpretation of Islamic economics, shedding light on his nuanced understanding of the subject.
Saleh Kamel’s reputation and influence abroad were remarkable. He made an enormous contribution to the emergence of London as the capital of Islamic finance industry in the West. His Albaraka Banking Group became present in Arab countries and beyond. Today, the group has more than 600 branches across three continents. Speaking at a conference of bankers in London, attended by Britain’s future King Charles, Saleh Kamel revealed how he had been impressed by a lecture given by the monarch, then heir-apparent, in 1997, in which he referred to Islam as “a religion of culture from which the world should be enlightened”. “Islam”, Saleh Kamel told the conference, “has created a coexistent human society cooperating with and complementing others, for the sake of prosperity and the welfare of all humanity”. In essence, Saleh Kamel's multifaceted contributions have not only reshaped the Islamic banking landscape but have also enriched and enlightened individuals worldwide about the virtues of faith, cooperation, and prosperity. As a visionary leader and advocate for Islamic principles in the financial realm and beyond, his remarkable legacy continues to inspire and resonate across borders and cultures.
