Hani Hussein

Position: Oil Minister, Kuwait

Biography: Hani Hussein was reappointed Kuwait’s oil minister in December 2012, following parliamentary elections. He first assumed the post in February 2012. Hussein was CEO of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation between 2004 and 2007, and is well respected within the country’s energy sector. 

Kuwait is hoping to award two major energy projects in 2013: the Clean Fuels Project and the New Refinery Project. Both schemes have been in the pipeline since the early 2000s, but initial contracts on the developments were cancelled after the country’s parliament objected to the manner in which they were awarded.

With new contracts now being tendered and awarded, it will be down to Hussein to convince parliament not to interfere and try to block the deals. The schemes are considered vital to Kuwait’s energy sector to increase downstream capacity and raise the standard of export products.