Qatar appoints energy boss in surprise reshuffle

DOHA — Qatar, one of the world's biggest energy suppliers, surprisingly announced on Sunday it had drafted the head of the country's state-run oil and gas company into the Cabinet.

Saad Al Kaabi, the president and chief executive officer of Qatar Petroleum, was made a minister of state for energy affairs in the first comprehensive reshuffle since the start of a Gulf diplomatic crisis which has seen Doha isolated by neighbouring former allies.

It was not immediately clear what the new role meant for long-serving minister of energy and industry, Mohammed Salah Al Sada, also the current president of OPEC.

Qatar is the world's top liquefied natural gas exporter.

Kaabi has been a high-profile figure during the regional political stand-off and recently announced Qatar would boost natural gas production.

The emir announced that the country's foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, will also become president of the Qatar Investment Authority, the country's sovereign wealth fund.

In another significant change in personnel, Yousuf bin Mohammed al Othman Fakhro was appointed labour minster, replacing Issa Bin Saad Al Jufali Al Nuami.

The outgoing minister had overseen a programme of reform including the introduction of a minimum wage and the partial abolition of the exit visa system.