OPEC has appointed Kuwait’s oil veteran Haitham al-Ghais as its new Secretary general, as the bloc and its allies are hoping that a volatile oil market will be tamed enough to allow a return to pre-pandemic production levels.
Ghais, forme Kuwait’s OPEC governor from 2017 to June 2021, will assume office from August 2022 and will replace Mohammad Barkindo, following his choice by acclamation at delegates meeting on Jan. 03.
“Currently serving as deputy managing director for International Marketing at KPC, Mr Al Ghais chaired the Joint Technical Committee [JTC] of the Declaration of Co-operation [DoC] in 2017 and subsequently served as a member of the JTC until June 2021,” OPEC said in a statement.
The new top diplomat of the global oil organization said one his top priorities would be to “preserve and nurture” OPEC’s ties with Russia and that his diplomatic background, having served in Kuwait’s foreign ministry and been the son of a career diplomat, would be an asset to him in the role.
Outgoing Barkindo from Nigeria is credited for forging ties with Russia and other non-OPEC members.
In a statement, OPEC hailed Barkindo for being “instrumental in expanding OPEC’s historical efforts to support sustainable oil market stability through enhanced dialogue and cooperation with many energy stakeholders.”
OPEC’s picks Kuwait’s Haitham Al Ghais as new Secretary General
