Falih moved aside as Aramco IPO looms
Saudi oil giant's chairman exits as preparations for a partial sell-off limber up
Saudi energy minister Khalid al-Falih was once the man King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) turned to when something needed fixing. While serving as Aramco CEO, he was appointed health minister to sort out a crisis in that department. He then became not only chairman of Aramco but also a minister with responsibility for energy as well as for industry and mining. Now, in the space of a couple of days, Falih's role has diminished significantly. He is no longer the Aramco chairman; and the industry and mining responsibilities have been taken away from his ministry. The new Aramco chairman is a former banker, Yasir al-Rumayyan. His appointment marks a new departure: it is the f
Also in this section
9 January 2026
The Latin American producer’s crude prospects rely on a multi-pronged approach where even the relatively easy wins will take considerable time, effort and cost
9 January 2026
While many forecasters are reasserting the importance of oil and gas, petrostates should be under no illusion things are changing, and faster than they might think
8 January 2026
Indonesia and Malaysia are at the dawn of breathtaking digital capabilities. Their energy infrastructure must keep up with their ambitions
8 January 2026
The next five years will be critical for the North Sea, and it will be policy not geology that will decide the basin’s future
