Essam Abdul Mohsen al-Marzouq, previously head of Kuwait’s stock exchange and board member at Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, has been appointed the country’s new oil minister.

He will also serve as the country’s electricity and water minister.

Kuwait’s new cabinet took the oath of office on 10 December, after snap elections which followed the dissolution of parliament through emiri decree on 17 October.

Opposition candidates returned to power in the elections, winning around half of the 50 seats.

The outgoing parliament had contested the government’s moves to introduce austerity measures, such as raising fuel prices in Kuwait - which has been the most reluctant within the GCC to rollback subsidies after the fall in oil prices.

Anas al-Saleh, who was the acting oil minister, has retained his role as finance minister.