Quick Facts
Biography
Suleiman Jasir Al-Herbish is in his third five-year term as Director-General of the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) as of 2013.
Education
- 1978 - Course in "The Economics of Oil Transportation", London
- 1974 - Masters in Economics, Trinity University (Texas), San Antonio, Texas, USA
- 1966 - BA in Economics and Political Science, University of Cairo
Tenure at OFID
Suleiman Jasir Al-Herbish, a Saudi national, became the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of OFID in November 2003. Al-Herbish has guided OFID through a period of deep transformation which includes:
- Strategic re-positioning
- Organization strengthening
- Financial realignment
These developments have enabled the institution to substantially enhance the execution of its mandate and consolidate its standing as a prominent and respected player in the global development arena.
Al-Herbish and Energy Poverty Alleviation
Al-Herbish has been one of the world’s leading advocates of energy poverty alleviation,having championed the cause for over a decade. He was the first person to label energy access as the “missing ninth” Millennium Development Goal (MDG). In 2012, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon requested that Al-Herbish join his High-Level Group on Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All). In 2013 he received an invitation to serve on the SE4ALL Advisory Board, which he has served on ever since.
Prior to his appointment at OFID, Al-Herbish had served for 13 years as the Governor of Saudi Arabia at the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Awards and honors
- Lifetime Achievement Award for the Advancement of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting
Countries (Qatar, 2017)
- Grand Decoration of Honor in Gold for Services to the Province of Vienna (Austria, 2015)
- National Order of Merit (Côte d'Ivoire, 2013)
- Grand Decoration of Honor in Silver with Sash (Austria, 2013)
- Golden Medal of Merit and Excellence (Palestine, 2013)
- Order of the Two Niles, First Degree (the Sudan, 2013)
- Medal of National Recognition (Mauritania, 2012)
- Chevalier de l’Ordre National (Burkina Faso, 2011)
- Moroccan Order of Wissam Al Alaoui at the grade of Commander (Morocco, 2009)
- Commandeur de l’Ordre National Ivoirien (Côte d'Ivoire, 2009)
- Anania Shirakatsi Medal (Armenia, 2009)
- Prix de la Fondation (Monaco, 2007)
- Congressional Medal of Achievement (Philippines, 2005)