Saudi Arabia: Prince Abdelaziz Bin Salman Bin Abdelaziz

Role: Energy minister

With decades of experience in the kingdom’s energy sector, Prince Abdelaziz Bin Salman (ABS) was appointed as energy minister in September 2019, to the surprise of those who did not expect an Al-Saud to be given the strategically sensitive oil portfolio. Previous energy ministers had been non- royals, usually with long industry experience. But ABS is unusual, being a royal who has spent the bulk of his career focused on oil.

The appointment came just after the sprawling Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources was split in two. ABS fitted the more focused portfolio of the Ministry of Energy – which came with a leading role in the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) – as he had traditionally been seen as an ‘apolitical’ royal working in a senior role.

Social media: https://twitter.com/moenergy_saudi?lang=e