JEDDAH: Ehsan Bafaqeeh, Jeddah’s new mayor, has pledged to prioritize the development of municipal services, expanded fieldwork and improvements to residents’ quality of life, he told Al-Eqtisadiah.
Appointed by a royal decree issued on Sunday at the “excellent” grade rank, Bafaqeeh succeeds Saleh Al-Turki, who held the position from August 2018 to April 2026.
A Jeddah native, Bafaqeeh brings extensive leadership experience to the role.
He previously served as governor of the State Properties General Authority and as CEO of Mohammed Al-Subaie Logistics Services.
Earlier in his career, he was chief financial officer of the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in science from Westminster College in Salt Lake City, US.
Bafaqeeh described the royal trust in his appointment as a responsibility to keep serving Jeddah in line with national aspirations and its ongoing development.
The next phase, he said, will center on consolidating past achievements and building upon them, while enhancing performance to sustain growth and raise the standard of municipal services.
Closer coordination between the municipality’s departments and partner agencies, he added, is key to boosting efficiency, speeding up delivery and hitting targets.
“Jeddah is going through a developmental phase that includes major projects, which requires maintaining a high work pace, raising the city’s readiness and keeping pace with its urban and economic growth,” he said.
