KUWAIT: Haitham Al-Ghais will begin his new role as secretary-general of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries on Monday, the Kuwait News Agency reported.
The Kuwaiti takes over from Nigerian Mohammad Barkindo, who died in July.
In an interview with KUNA on Sunday, Al-Ghais thanked Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah for their confidence in him as Kuwait’s nominee.
Al-Ghais is the first Kuwaiti to hold the position of OPEC chief, having been elected by acclamation for a three-year term.
He said the unanimous selection of him by OPEC’s 13 member countries reflects Kuwait’s position among them.
From 2017 to 2021, Al-Ghais served as Kuwait’s OPEC governor, representing the country during meetings of the board of governors. He also chaired its joint technical committee with countries outside the organization.
He was appointed deputy director of international marketing at the state-owned Kuwait Petroleum Corp. after stepping down as Kuwait’s OPEC governor in June 2021.
Prior to OPEC, he worked at the KPC’s global marketing sector in various sales departments, headed its regional offices in Beijing and London, and was director of the corporation’s research department and deputy managing director of global marketing.
Al-Ghais has nearly 30 years of experience in the oil industry, and has participated in many international conferences and forums.