With the departure of Nigeria’s Mohammed Barkindo, the age of the giants heading the secretariat of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries will come to an end.

I was both sad and happy when I heard yesterday that Haitham Al-Ghais has been appointed the next secretary general of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund was left out of the global top 10 rankings for sovereign wealth funds last year — but that is really a good thing.

Riyadh seems to be on its way to competing for a spot among the top 10 global cities in less than 10 years.
The political will is there, the funds are available, the strategic plan is clear, which has more than 100 initiatives and over 700 pioneer projects across various sectors.

If you read the findings of a study conducted by The Red Sea Development Co., a company fully owned by the Public Investment Fund, the first thought that might come to your mind is that Saudi Aramco may not retain its position as the most sought-after employer in future. 

A decade ago, it was not even thought possible to have a forum to discuss the Saudi fiscal budget with all ministers from finance to energy.

The last time I attended the annual gathering of the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association was a decade ago.

When you enter search terms such as “invest” and “Saudi” using Google, Twitter, or any other social media, the result is often a mix of shock and negativity.

If it wasn’t for the agreement that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies signed in Vienna five years ago, OPEC+ wouldn’t be meeting today or celebrating its triumph over the market.