Newly Elected OPEC Secretary General, Al-Ghais Assumes Office

The new Secretary General of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, (OPEC) Haitham Al-Ghais of Kuwait, has assumed office.

Al-Ghais who resumed on Monday was elected in January of this year to take over as the new head of OPEC, which has its headquarters in Vienna.

His tenure is expected to last for three years.

Al-Ghais served as the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation’s (KPC) deputy managing director for international marketing prior to becoming the organization’s head, according to a press release from OPEC.

In addition, he served as OPEC’s governor of Kuwait from 2017 to 2021.

Al-Ghais took over from Nigeria’s Mohammad Barkindo, who died on July 5.

Late Barkindo succeeded the Libyan Abdallah Salem el-Badri, who served as Secretary General since 2007. Barkindo was appointed Secretary General of OPEC in June 2016 for a term of three years.

Barkindo, who led the organization through the formation of the OPEC+ Alliance, was scheduled to leave his position as OPEC’s top executive after six years at the end of this month.

Al-Ghais expressed his eagerness to work with all member countries and many partners around the world to ensure a sustainable and inclusive energy future that leaves no one behind.