The UAE has appointed Ahmed al-Kaabi, the Energy Ministry’s assistant undersecretary for oil and gas, as the country’s governor for Opec.

Al-Kaabi replaces Ali Obaid al-Yabhouni to join the oil producers’ group’s board of governors, the decision-making body at the Opec Secretariat in Vienna.

Before joining the UAE’s Energy Ministry, Al-Kaabi worked at Abu Dhabi National Oil Company’s (Adnoc’s) office in Singapore. He is a member of the London-based World Petroleum Council (WPC) and serves as board member of the Saudi-headquartered International Energy Forum (IEF) and the Bahrain-based Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard (ASRY).

Opec members will next meet on 2 June amid a continued slump in global oil prices. Talks between Opec and non-Opec exporters broke down in April, after attempts to agree a widespread production freeze to curb oversupply and boost prices.