Biography: Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak al-Hamad al-Sabah was sworn in as Kuwait’s seventh prime minister in December 2011. He replaced Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammed al-Sabah, the emir’s nephew, who resigned following allegations of corruption levelled by the opposition in parliament. Sheikh Jaber previously served as supervisor of administrative affairs in the Amiri Diwan from 1968, before becoming the department’s director in 1975. Since then, he has worked in several ministries, including the Social Affairs & Labour Ministry. Following the liberation of Kuwait from Iraqi occupation in 1992, Sheikh Jaber became adviser to the office of the late emir Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, a position he held until 2001. Prior to his current role, he served as first deputy prime minister and defence minister from 2007.

Contact Tel: (+965) 2 200 0000

Biography: Sheikh Sabah al-Khaled al-Hamad al-Sabah retained his portfolio in Kuwait’s latest cabinet, appointed following parliamentary elections in July. Sheikh Sabah has held the positions of first deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister since October 2011. Prior to this, he served in several other ministerial positions, starting in the Social Affairs & Labour Ministry in 2006. Sheikh Sabah briefly served as information minister and acting minister of justice and Islamic affairs in April-May 2009. From 1978-95, he worked at the Arab affairs desk in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, including serving at Kuwait’s diplomatic mission to the UN from 1983 to 1989. Between 1995 and 1998, Sheikh Sabah was Kuwait’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from Kuwait University in 1977.

Contact Tel: (+965) 2 242 5141

Biography: Mustafa Jassim al-Shamali took over as acting oil minister from Hani Hussain, who resigned in May following a major shake-up in Kuwait’s most vital industry. Al-Shamali was at the time also working as finance minister. Following the July elections, he now has full responsibility for the oil sector, including the task of pushing ahead with two critical downstream refining projects worth more than $30bn. Al-Shamali has held various posts in the government over the past three decades, including an initial stint as acting oil minister in 2011. Al-Shamali was first appointed finance minister in 2007 and again in 2011, resigning from the post in May 2012, after parliament complained of financial irregularities at his ministry. However, he was reappointed after fresh elections in December 2012. Al-Shamali has a bachelor’s degree in commerce and administrative studies from Ain Shams University in Egypt.

Contact Tel: (+965) 2 492 4000

Biography: Sheikh Salem Abdulaziz al-Sabah is Kuwait’s new finance minister, replacing Mustafa al-Shamali. He is a former governor of the Central Bank of Kuwait and it was he who took the bold decision of making Kuwait the first GCC state to abandon the US dollar peg in 2007 in an effort to combat inflation. The Kuwaiti dinar is now pegged to a basket of currencies. After more than 25 years in the post of governor, Sheikh Salem stood down in February 2012, warning in his resignation letter of “negative developments” in Kuwait’s fiscal policies, particularly its dependence on oil revenues, and the rapid expansion of government spending on wages and subsidies in recent years. Kuwait plans to spend up to $17.5bn on development projects until March 2014. Sheikh Salem is also a board member of the Kuwait Investment Authority.

Contact Tel: (+965) 2 242 0019

Biography: Salem Mutheyeb Ahmed al-Utheina was appointed minister of state for housing and municipality affairs for the second time, following the elections in July. Al-Utheina previously held the position from February 2012, before being appointed communications minister and acting minister of social affairs and labour in July 2012. Kuwait’s population is expected to reach 5.4 million in 2030, from 3.4 million today, and the country is planning low-cost housing initiatives to cope with rising demand. The ministry is looking to build four new major township schemes, which will add more than 50,000 residential units. Al-Utheina has a degree in electronics from Boston University in the US and previously served as director of the ministry’s communications centre.

Contact Tel: (+965) 2 538 8117

Biography: Abdulaziz Abdullatif al-Ibrahim joined the Electricity & Water Ministry in 1979 and has worked there ever since. He served as assistant undersecretary of the ministry until July 2012, when he was appointed electricity and water minister, as well as minister of state for municipal affairs. In the new cabinet, appointed on 4 August, Al-Ibrahim also took on the leadership of the Public Works Ministry, but relinquished his role in municipality affairs. One of the most important schemes Al-Ibrahim will have to deal with is the delayed Al-Zour North, Kuwait’s first independent power and water project. It is a key part of a wider private sector investment programme worth up to $30bn. Al-Ibrahim graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1975 and a master’s degree in 1978.

Contact Tel: (+965) 2 537 1111