A new CEO has been appointed at Saudi Arabia’s National Water Company (NWC), Abdulrahman Al Ibrahim, governor of the Saline Water Conversion Company (SWCC).

Al Ibrahim replaces Loay al-Musallem, who has been CEO since the company was established in 2008.

It has not been clarified whether Al Ibrahim will continue in his role at the SWCC.

The change in leadership follows the dismissal of Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Electricity & Water Abdullah al-Husayen. Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told local media recent electricity and water tariff hikes had been poorly implemented.

Industry sources told MEED it was too early to say how Al-Ibrahim’s appointment would affect NWC’s water distribution and wastewater infrastructure investment, or privatisation plans for water assets in Saudi Arabia.

NWC was planning to take over water services in 22 Saudi cities by 2020, in addition to its portfolio of Jeddah, Mecca and Taif. This involves preparing masterplans for water and wastewater services, increasing levels of wastewater treatment and reuse, and improving efficiency and restructuring provision of services to prepare for privatisation.

The water company was also planning to restart its build-operate-transfer programme for future water assets.

It announced plans to spend SR2bn ($533m) on projects to increase water supply in the kingdom’s Mecca region in March.

NWC told MEED in 2015 that it was forming two closed joint-stock companies, and planned an initial public offering in 2018.