Quick Facts
Biography
Khalid A. Al-Falih, (Arabic: خالد الفالح Ḫālid al-Fāliḥ born 1960) is Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources of Saudi Arabia and chairman of Saudi Aramco. He has previously served as the Saudi Arabian Health Minister and Aramco's CEO.
Early life and education
Al-Falih was born in 1960 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and raised in Dammam. He attended Texas A&M University, earning a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 1982, and later pursued an MBA at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, which he completed in 1991.
Early years at Aramco: 1979–2008
Al-Falih joined Saudi Aramco (formerly, Aramco) in 1979. For over several years, he held positions of increasing responsibility and in 1992, he joined the Consulting Services Department (CSD). He supervised several technical units, mainly the Mechanical and Civil Systems Division and was named manager of CSD in January 1995. He was assigned as manager, Ras Tanura Refinery Maintenance Department in late 1995; and by 1998; manager, Business Analysis Department.
In July 1999, Al-Falih became president of Petron Corporation, a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and the Philippine National Oil Company. He returned to the Kingdom in September 2000 to serve as vice chairman on the Saudi Aramco Study Team for Upstream Gas Ventures, until his appointment as vice president of Gas Ventures Development and Coordination in May 2001. He played an instrumental role in the negotiations with the international oil companies (IOCs) & other major national oil companies (NOCs) in connection with the Kingdom's Natural Gas Initiative. Ultimately, four joint ventures, namely - South Rub' al-Khali Company (SRAK), Luksar Energy, Sino Saudi Gas & EniRepSa Gaswere consummated between Saudi Aramco and various leading IOCs, Nocs and emerging oil companies.
In October 2004, Al-Falih was appointed to the Board of Directors of Saudi Aramco. He also served as chairman of the board of the South Rub' al-Khali joint venture between Shell, Total and Saudi Aramco.
CEO of Saudi Aramco: 2009–2015
In Nov 2008, Abdallah S. Jum'ah, then president and CEO of Saudi Aramco, retired and Khalid A. Al-Falih, who was serving as Aramco's executive vice president of operations, was appointed as the new president and CEO of the company, effective January 1, 2009.
Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources
In May 2016, Al-Falih was appointed Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources, replacing outgoing Ali al-Naimi. In the royal decree announcing the appointment, the former Petroleum Ministry was renamed "Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources," incorporating also the Ministry of Electricity. Al-Falih also holds the position of chairman of the Board of Directors of Aramco, whose CEO is Amin H. Nasser.
Personal life
Al-Falih currently resides in Dhahran. He is married to Najah Al-Garawi from Saudi Arabia and they have three daughters and two sons.
Public life and board memberships
Al-Falih is active in many social programs. He has served as chairman of the Dammam City Municipal Council. His board memberships in other community-focused organizations include the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Fund for Supporting Small Business Projects for Women, and the Eastern Province Society for the Handicapped.
Al-Falih is a founding member of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and serves as a member of its Board of Trustees. He sits on the Board of Directors of the U.S.-Saudi Arabian Business Council and serves as a member of the JP Morgan International Council.