Board Members

SULEMAN A. AL-BARGAN

Chairman

Suleman A. Al-Bargan is currently the Senior Vice President, Global Manufacturing at Saudi Aramco. He manages the Global refining and chemicals portfolio with a gross refining processing capacity of 6.8 million barrels per day. This includes 5 Domestic wholly owned refineries, 5 Domestic Joint Ventures and 8 International JVs and Affiliates. In addition to refining, Al-Bargan manages 1.9 million barrels per day of the kingdom’s NGL Fractionation capacity, around 46 million gross MTA Petchem capacity and 4.2 million tonnes/year of base oil marketing.

Suleman A. Al-Bargan is currently the Senior Vice President, Global Manufacturing at Saudi Aramco. He manages the Global refining and chemicals portfolio with a gross refining processing capacity of 6.8 million barrels per day. This includes 5 Domestic wholly owned refineries, 5 Domestic Joint Ventures and 8 International JVs and Affiliates. In addition to refining, Al-Bargan manages 1.9 million barrels per day of the kingdom’s NGL Fractionation capacity, around 46 million gross MTA Petchem capacity and 4.2 million tonnes/year of base oil marketing.

He is a seasoned leader with 35 years of experience in both Upstream and Downstream. Before his latest assignment as Vice President of Global Manufacturing, Al-Bargan was assigned several critical roles throughout his career in Saudi Aramco such as VP of Domestic Refining and NGL Fractionation, CEO of SAMREF (Saudi Aramco & Exxon Mobil JV in Yanbu), General Manager of Jazan Refining Complex, Manager of Oil Supply Planning and Scheduling Department, Director of Personnel and Manager of Uthmaniyah, Hawiyah and Berri Gas Plants.

Suleman Al-Bargan has a Bachelor degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Missouri Columbia and an MBA through the MIT Sloan Fellows Program.

WADHA AL-KHATEEB

Vice Chairman

Ms. Wadha Ahmad Al-Khateeb is the CEO for Kuwait National Petroleum Company with an experience of 28 years in the oil sector. Held various technical and management positions in Technical Services and Health Safety & Environment Departments.

Ms. Wadha Ahmad Al-Khateeb is the CEO for Kuwait National Petroleum Company with an experience of 28 years in the oil sector.

Held various technical and management positions in Technical Services and Health Safety & Environment Departments.

Education:

Ø Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the College of Engineering and Petroleum, Kuwait University (1994). Was in the Dean's list of honor (1992-1993).

Achievements:

· Ranked 8^th and 7^th in Forbes Middle East list of 100 Power Business Women for the years 2020 and 2021 respectively.

· The first woman and the first Kuwaiti to head the Gas Processors Association, GCC Chapter.

· Initiated a pilot program for training female process engineers in Operations Department as Field Operators/ Panel Operators and up to Supervisor level.

· Led Cost Optimization and Profit Improvement initiatives in Mina Al-Ahmadi Refinery, resulting in financial benefit on the magnitude 23 MM$.

· Received the "Women of Achievement Runner-up" award from Leadership Excellence for Women Awards.

· Drove the effort to register the first Kuwaiti project (Flare Gas Recovery unit) to be listed in UNFCCC.

· Former Member of Natural Reserves Committee and Oil Spill Combating Plan Committee in the State of Kuwait.

· Established the Odor Management System in KNPC targeting zero odor, which included one of the largest Leak Detection and Repair programs in the world.

· Member for TKSC Board FY 2018/19 [The Kuwait Styrene Company (K.S.C)].

· Chairperson for KPPC [Kuwait Paraxylene Production Company (K.S.C)] from 5^th May 2019 to till date.

· Recently lead the commissioning activities of a multibillion dollar mega project in Mina Abdullah Refinery as part of Clean Fuel Projects in the State of Kuwait.

Volunteer work:

A member in Women’s Cultural Social Society since the 90’s. Worked through the Society with other NPOs for charity work.

HAFEDH AL-QASSAB

Board Member and Financial Secretary

Hafedh Al-Qassab has over 27 years of experience in the downstream oil and gas business. He holds a Masters in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College London, and is a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (FIChemE). He is a Chartered Engineer (CEng) and also a Member of the Institute of Leadership and Management (MInstLM) UK. He has also been decorated with the Order of Bahrain (Third Class) for services to the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Hafedh Al-Qassab has over 27 years of experience in the downstream oil and gas business. He holds a Masters in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College London, and is a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (FIChemE). He is a Chartered Engineer (CEng) and also a Member of the Institute of Leadership and Management (MInstLM) UK. He has also been decorated with the Order of Bahrain (Third Class) for services to the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Hafedh Al-Qassab is currently the acting Deputy Chief Executive (DCE) and also Project Director for the Bapco Modernization Program (BMP), Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco), Kingdom of Bahrain. As acting DCE, which he assumed in April 2021, he reports into the Chief Executive Officer of Bapco, and the position is responsible for all technical and operational aspects of the Bapco Refinery, including the functions of Refining, Reliability and Maintenance, and Engineering. In addition, the DCE is responsible for the Operational Excellence management system of the organization, as well as the Enterprise Risk Management and Business Continuity Planning functions. The DCE ensures governance in line with corporate policies and management objectives to ensure the safe, trouble free, profitable, cost effective and efficient operation of the Bapco Refinery, in order to maximise gross margin and to ensure that strategic plans of the organization are met. He is also leading the BMP Integrated Project Management Team (IPMT) which is responsible for managing the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of the major multi billion dollar expansion and upgrade of the existing Bapco Refinery. The BMP involves integrating a new ebulated bed resid hydrocracker, hydroprocessing units, crude/vacuum unit, hydrogen plants, sulphur recovery facilities, offsites and utilities, into the existing facility. He assumed this position in November 2018. He is a member of the Executive Management team and the Corporate Planning Council at Bapco, chairs the Environment Health and Safety Committees (EHSC) for the Company and BMP, and co-chairs the Crisis Management Team (CMT) for Bapco.

Prior to assuming the position of Project Director-BMP, he was General Manager Refining, responsible for the hydrocarbon supply chain at Bapco i.e. the receipt of crude oil through pipelines, storage and processing of the crude, refinery operations, blending and storage of products, and shipment of products through Bapco’s wharf. He was also responsible for technical and process engineering support and fire, health, environment and safety functions for the business. He held this position for 7 years (2012-2018).

Hafedh’s whole career has been spent with Bapco, working in the Company’s refinery. He has held various roles and responsibilities in the Company within the process engineering and operations functions, including the Manager of Technical Services.

Hafedh is the author and co-author of several technical papers published in industry journals, and he has also presented and chaired sessions at various national, regional and international conferences. Hafedh sits on the advisory panels for various conference and forum organizers.

ABDULLA NAJI AL MESSABI

Board Member

Abdulla has served as CEO of ADNOC Refining since January 2020. He's an industry specialist, building on more than 20 years of industry experience. Before joining ADNOC Refining, he led the Refining and Petrochemicals Unit at ADNOC's Downstream Directorate. In this role, he was responsible for the governance and strategic direction of ADNOC's downstream Refining and Petrochemicals businesses. The companies under his portfolio included: ADNOC Refining, Borouge ADP, Borouge Pte, and ADNOC Fertilizers.

Abdulla has served as CEO of ADNOC Refining since January 2020.

He's an industry specialist, building on more than 20 years of industry experience. Before joining ADNOC Refining, he led the Refining and Petrochemicals Unit at ADNOC's Downstream Directorate. In this role, he was responsible for the governance and strategic direction of ADNOC's downstream Refining and Petrochemicals businesses. The companies under his portfolio included: ADNOC Refining, Borouge ADP, Borouge Pte, and ADNOC Fertilizers.

Abdullah possesses extensive technical, managerial, and strategic expertise. He joined ADNOC in the year 2000 as a Process Engineer working for Borouge. Over the subsequent 17 years, he rapidly rose through the company's ranks; serving in various technical and managerial roles in Ruwais, Abu Dhabi, and Milan.

He holds a BSc in Chemical Engineering from the UAE University in Al Ain, as well as extensive technical, safety, and management qualifications acquired while working in our industry.

SHAFI AL-AJMI

Board Member

Mr. Shafi Taleb Al-Ajmi is a seasoned professional with more than 25 years of experience in Oil and Gas Downstream Petrochemical Industry. Mr. Al-Ajmi is currently the President and CEO at Kuwait Petroleum International (KPI) and leads the KPI JV Investments Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical LLC and Duqm Refinery Project. Prior to this role, he has led the Finance & Administration directorate of PIC. During his tenure, he has also proven expertise in several acquisition transactions and strategic feasibility studies in the petrochemical industry and headed the development of PIC’s petrochemical strategy 2030 and 2040.

Mr. Shafi Taleb Al-Ajmi is a seasoned professional with more than 25 years of experience in Oil and Gas Downstream Petrochemical Industry.

Mr. Al-Ajmi is currently the President and CEO at Kuwait Petroleum International (KPI) and leads the KPI JV Investments Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical LLC and Duqm Refinery Project. Prior to this role, he has led the Finance & Administration directorate of PIC. During his tenure, he has also proven expertise in several acquisition transactions and strategic feasibility studies in the petrochemical industry and headed the development of PIC’s petrochemical strategy 2030 and 2040.

He is serving as Members Council Chairman of Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical LLC, Board of Directors Member of OQ8, Deputy Chairman of the Board for SK PIC Global Co., and his other board memberships include Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC); Equate Petrochemical Company and Milazzo Refinery.

Mr. Al-Ajmi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Kuwait University

KAMIL AL SHANFRI

Board Member

Kamil Al Shanfri is Managing Director for OQ Refineries and Petrochemical Industries and Plastics, and acting Managing Director for Salalah Cluster. He manages OQ fully owned refineries in Muscat and Sohar, and petrochemicals in Sohar industrial area which consist of Aromatics Plant, Steam Cracker, and Polymer production.

He has more than 24 years of professional experience in Oil and Gas, 20 of them in Refineries and Petrochemicals. He held several leadership positions since 2011 and Board Chairman of Air Liquide Sohar Industrial Gases between 2015 to 2020 and current member of OQ8 board. Prior to this role, he was Chief Operation Officer of Downstream Oman Assets of OQ where his responsibilities covers refineries and Petrochemicals Plants in Muscat, Sohar, and Salalah.

Kamil is leading operation excellence programs in OQ RPI by introducing continues improvement programs, high performance cultures, enhancing operation & energy efficiencies, maintenance excellence, improving personnel productivity, and capability development.

Al Shanfari holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from University of Tulsa, USA and he has attended IMD Leadership programs.

About Us

Subscribe to our Newsletter