The U.S.-Saudi Arabian Business Council (the “Council” or “USSABC”), a bilateral not-for-profit organization with offices in the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Hall Delano (Del) Roosevelt as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective December 2, 2019. Mr. Roosevelt currently serves as the Director of Business Development for Reza Investment Group in Saudi Arabia. Del Roosevelt is the grandson of President Franklin Delano and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and the son of James Roosevelt, FDR’s first-born son.
Mr. Roosevelt was a co-founder of Friends of Saudi Arabia, a cultural awareness program. He is a Board member of the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, Chair Emeritus of the Middle East Council of American Chambers of Commerce, and Board Member of the American Business Association, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Roosevelt headed Roosevelt Consulting Inc., an international consulting company focusing on assisting organizations and private investors in structuring cross-border transactions, technology transfers, and direct investments globally with a focus on the Middle East. He was formerly a member of the Long Beach City Council, where he served in such positions as Chair of the Federal Legislation and Environmental Affairs Committee and Vice-Chair of the Public Safety Committee. Early in his career, he worked at Southern California Edison and the Boeing Sea Launch Program as Director of Governmental Relations.
Steve Demetriou, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Jacobs Engineering Group, and the Council’s U.S. Co-Chairman, commented: “It is a pleasure to welcome Del to the Council. We are confident that the USSABC will benefit from Del’s significant experience in Saudi Arabia, and that he will work well with our talented team to grow U.S.-Saudi business ties. He brings a unique family legacy to the Council as his grandfather was the first U.S. President to meet with the Kingdom’s founder Ibn Saud in 1945, starting the strong relationship between the two countries for over 70 years.”
