A rare inside look into Saudi Arabia’s widespread corruption and subjugation from the perspective of Oussama Najjar who, like thousands of others, has suffered arbitrary detention.
Ended
Oussama’s own life journey is chronicled in 14 Days and Nights Underground; from Baghdad to Riyadh to Istanbul, passing through Beirut, Cairo and London. greed and immorality, and his brutal and swift career downfall – having his successful company ripped from him in acts of betrayal. Including political targeting he experienced when he was unjustly caught up in a campaign of mass arrests of Saudi officials and businessmen and imprisoned for 14 days and nights, and subsequently banished from the country.
While detailing his education and assent into the Saudi business world, Oussama shares professional insight about business ethics and practices, greed, and corruption and a failing legal system which have not changed until this moment in time if not gotten worse.
This first hand account provides a better understanding of what it is like to operate in a country where the legal system is a total failure in addition to no regards whatsoever to human rights.
INTRODUCTION - PEOPLE ARE LIKE METAL
PART ONE
CHAPTER 1 - MEA FLIGHT # 444
CHAPTER 2 - ABDULLAH TARIKI
CHAPTER 3 - FROM AL-KHOBAR TO BEIRUT
CHAPTER 4 - NEW LIFE IN BEIRUT
CHAPTER 5 - LIFE IN EGYPT
PART TWO
CHAPTER 6 - LIFE IN LONDON
CHAPTER 7 - THE PRINCE AND THE COUNTESS
CHAPTER 8 - DON’T RETURN TO THE KINGDOM
CHAPTER 9 - BACK TO RIYADH
CHAPTER 10 – GO BUY A PRINCE
CHAPTER 11 - A LEGAL DISASTER
PART THREE
CHAPTER 12 - SALEH AND I
CHAPTER 13 - THE AMERICAN CONSULTANT
CHAPTER 14 - THE DAUGHTER
CHAPTER 15 - THE LOSER
CHAPTER 16 - BORN IN BAGHDAD
CHAPTER 17 - THE PRINCE’S BANK ACCOUNT
CHAPTER 18 - A KINGDOM WITHOUT BALANCE
PART FOUR
CHAPTER 19 - EARTHQUAKE AT THE MINISTRY
CHAPTER 20 - WE WERE TOUCHED
CHAPTER 21 - VENTURING BEYOND THE SUN
CHAPTER 22 - MY FIRST INTERROGATION
CHAPTER 23 - TIME TO THINK
CHAPTER 24 - PREPARING FOR THE WORST
PART FIVE
CHAPTER 25 - MY ROOM UNDERGROUND
CHAPTER 26 - LIFE UNDERGROUND
CHAPTER 27 - I COULD HAVE ESCAPED
CHAPTER 28 - MY SECOND INTERROGATION
CHAPTER 29 - FIGHT CORRUPTION AT THE TOP
CHAPTER 30 - FACE TO FACE CHALLENGE
CHAPTER 31 - THE LONGEST DAYS AND NIGHTS
CHAPTER 32 - MY LAST CHAPTER IN RIYADH P-82
PART SIX
CHAPTER 33 - MY LAST STOP - ISTANBUL
CHAPTER 34 - BLENDING IN
CHAPTER 35 - A NEW GEM IN EUROPE
CHAPTER 36 - CALLED TO THE RESCUE
CHAPTER 37 - A REFLECTION ON 26 YEARS
CHAPTER 38 - LOSS OF TRUST
CHAPTER 39 - UNDERMINING THE SPIRITUALITY OF MAKKA
CHAPTER 40 - HOPE FOR SAUDI ARABIA
Oussama Najjar is a Lebanese Businessman. Born in Baghdad, January 28, 1958. He attended school at the International College (IC) in Beirut & Victoria College in Cairo.
Holds a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Cairo University (First on his class with highest honors) as well as an M.Sc. in Technology and Development from London University (High honors), and a Diploma of the Imperial College from the Imperial College of Science, Technology, and Medicine – U.K.
He started his career in the early eighties working in Riyadh with an Engineering & Management Consulting firm owned by late H.E. Sheikh Abdullah H. Tariki the first Saudi Oil Minister and the cofounder of OPEC, and then worked as an independent Marketing Consultant for a number of Saudi and Western firms operating in the K.S.A.
He later joined the Nesma group of companies (www.nesma.com) which is a multibillion Saudi conglomerate owned by H.E. Saleh Ali Al Turki, in 1996 as a Vice President and a Partner with an objective to create and to run new business ventures for the group.
In 1996 Established a new partnership with the International security company Group 4 Securitas. Served as Head of the Executive Committee of Group 4 – Nesma for Security & Safety, and ran the business for four years until Nesma sold its share.
In 1997 Established the first e-commerce companies in Bahrain with General Electric Information Services in partnership with Nesma.
Served as Chairman and CEO of Bahrain TradaNet, and of Gulf TradaNet.
In 1998 Established Nesma Internet which became later on the most successful ISP in KSA, then sold the business to Saudi Telecom and exited the ISP business in 2003.
In 2004 Formed Nesma Advanced Technology a leading System Integrator and Software Solution provider and served as its CEO.
In 2011 he became the Chairman of Nesma Advanced Technology, and the Chairman of Nesma Telecom (A leading telecom contractor in KSA) which were merged later on in 2013 into one company: Nesma Telecom and Technology (NT&T).
He later served as:
Board Member of Nesma Holding (KSA)
CEO of Nesma Telecom and Technology (KSA)
Chairman of Nesmal Yatirim Holding (Nesma’s Investment arm in Turkey)
Board Member of Negmar Logistics group (Turkey)
Chairman of Istanbullines Marine Co., and BASISTEK IT Co. (Turkey)
Chairman of KONCAR EU (Electrical switchgear manufacturer in Split – Croatia)
After his 24 year long journey as a senior manager and partner with the Nesma group, he parted his own way and now runs his personal private investment company Refal Middle East which manages the family wealth fund.
He is the author of his personal memoirs: 14 DAYS & NIGHTS UNDERGROUD
Board Member of Istanbul International Community School (IICS)
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As this campaign reaches a successful end, I take this opportunity to thank you all for your support and encouragement. In few days I will …
The Campaign is going ahead as planned as it crosses the 300 preorder mark in less than 6 weeks. Individual orders as well as orders …
I am glad to announce that 100+ copies have been preordered in the first week or so of the campaign, and I would like to take …
Hello Oussama ,
Looking forward to reading your book .
Thank you Mario for your support, and doctor Chafik in the background.
Best wishes for 2023 and Great success for your first book!
Thank you very much dear Massimo, It is much appreciated 🙏🏻
Hello Oussama,
Congratulations for your new endeavor. The book looks really interesting to me, I am looking forward to see it being published and reach high numbers of prints.
All the best of luck…
Good luck
Good Luck
Good luck Ousama with your new writing journey…
Very much looking forward to reading the book. Congratulations on this achievement.
Good luck Osama !
Best of Luck Oussama ... Maher
Best of Luck! -Rajaa & Sally Ayoib
I hope you are able to fulfil your vision for this book and will always advocate and support any endeavour in improving the awareness of humanity !
I Cannot wait to read this book and gain inside from your perspective of business in the Middle East.
Excited to read your story.
Good luck. Very happy for you to complete this interesting book.
Aly El Bahrawy
Good luck. Very happy for you to complete this interesting book.
Thank you Sir… can’t wait to read the book… All the best !!!
Ousama, What a horrible thing to have happened! Thank you for writint about and sharing this unbelievably cruel treatment you endured. I’m glad it’s over, and I hope you’re in a much better place.
Your cousin, Haytham
it is a big honor for myself to receive the first book my mentor published !
Keep Going Sir!
Good luck Uncle. Your book is great and I can not wait for my copies to share with family and friends. Love Chaimaa
Best wishes on the book launch, cant wait to receive my copy and get reading.
thank you
Dear Ousama Bey,
I had read the First completed draft of your book already at one seat within one breath, I was impatient to see the hard copy. Thank you for informing me about the first edition of your book.
I wish to see many editions of your book which uniquely gives insight of Saudi Business climate of which I had a chance catching glimpse under your management.
With love and best wishes,
Zekai Özgün
Thank you dear Zekai for your encouraging comments. I remember you telling me that you didn’t expect it to be this good. Hopefully it will be published soon.
Many thanks - a fascinating topic from a fascinating man :)
We can't wait to receive and distribute our copies in Lebanon. Good luck.
Alfurat for Publishing and Distribution
Oussama! Best of luck with this project. Now I have a few gifts for close family and friends who will appreciate you story.
We are excited to receive your book. Good luck.
Looking forward to reading this intriguing book.
We are excited to receive your book right after publishing. Good luck.
Thank you so much for your support. It means a lot to me. Hopefully we will be publishing soon.
"Mr. Oussama, a name that commands reverence and demands respect. A true embodiment of professionalism, education and leadership; a rare combination of qualities that are increasingly hard to come by in today's world. Working under his guidance at the holding company was nothing short of an honour. I firmly believe that he stands tall as one of the greatest CEOs our company has ever had, leaving an indelible mark on all those fortunate enough to have worked with him." "It was only a matter of time before he put pen to paper, capturing the raw and unvarnished truth within the pages of his own book."
Dear Samy, You humbled me with your touching comments coming from with in the high management of the Holding Company. Your testimony is most precious as you’ve seen it all from within. I am glad that you are building your own business and wish you all the luck 🍀
Penguen Bookstores in Istanbul are looking forward to receiving copies of your book when it is published. Good luck.
$25
104 readers
Paperback edition of 14 Days and Nights Underground
Includes:
$40
11 readers
Hardback edition of 14 Days and Nights Underground
Includes:
$75
7 readers
Hardback Edition signed by Oussama Najjar
Includes:
$900
0 readers
50 paperback copies of 14 Days and Nights Underground
Includes:
$1500
4 readers
100 paperback copies of 14 Days and Nights Underground
Includes:
on Jan. 1, 2023, 7:53 p.m.
Good luck Oussama, a fight for justice is well justified.
on Jan. 2, 2023, 12:21 a.m.
Thank you very much Imad for your support. Much appreciated.