WADHA AL-KHATEEB

Vice Chairperson

Wadha Ahmad Al-Khateeb, with 28 years of experience in the oil sector, currently serves as the CEO of Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC). Throughout her career, she has held diverse technical and management positions in the Technical Services and Health Safety & Environment Departments.

Al-Khateeb has achieved rearkable milestones, such as ranking 8th and 7th in Forbes Middle East's list of the 100 Power Business Women for the years 2020 and 2021, respectively. She made history by becoming the first women and the first Kuwaiti to head the Gas Processors Association, GCC Chapter. Her contributions extend to initiating a successful pilot program for training female process engineers in the Operations Department and leading Cost Optimization and Profit Improvement initiatives at Mina Al-Ahmadi Refinery, resulting in a substantial financial benefit of 23 million dollars. She has been recognized with the "Women of Achievement Runner-up" award from Leadership Excellence for Women Awards and has driven efforts to register the first Kuwaiti project (Flare Gas Recovery unit) with UNFCCC.

Wadha's extensive experience also includes serving as a former Member of the Natural Reserves Committee and the Oil Spill Combating Plan Committee in the State of Kuwait. She established the Odor Management System at KNPC to target zero odor, including one of the largest Leak Detection and Repair programs globally. Furthermore, she served as a Member of the TKSC Board (The Kuwait Styrene Company, K.S.C), and she has held the position of Chairperson for KPPC (Kuwait Paraxylene Production Company, K.S.C) since May 5, 2019. Most recently, Wadha led the commissioning activities of a multibillion-dollar mega project at Mina Abdullah Refinery as part of the Clean Fuel Projects in the State of Kuwait. In addition to her professional achievements, she has been an active member of the Women's Cultural Social Society since the 1990s, collaborating with various nonprofit organizations for charitable work.

Al-Khateeb holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the College of Engineering and Petroleum, Kuwait University, with an exceptional academic record that earned her a place in the Dean's list of honor during the academic years 1992-1993.