Ahmed Zaki Yamani

Ahmed Zaki Yamani

Ahmed Zaki Yamaani (Arabic: أحمد زكي يماني‎; born 30 June 1930) is a Saudi Arabian politician who was Minister of Oil (Petroleum) and Mineral Resources from 1962 to 1986, and a minister in OPEC for 25 years.

With degrees from, among other places, New York University School of Law and Harvard Law School whilst also having a doctorate from the University of Exeter, Yamaani became a close adviser to the Saudi government in 1958 and then became oil minister in 1962. He is best known for his role during the 1973 oil embargo, when he spurred OPEC to quadruple the price of crude oil. During that time, Yamaani gained a colourful international reputation, known in the West for both diplomatic skills and characteristic goatee.

In December 1975, Yamaani and several other OPEC ministers were taken hostage by notorious terrorist Carlos (the Jackal) in Vienna, Austria. He was later released after Carlos spent two days riding an airplane across the Middle East even though Carlos was ordered by his superiors to execute Yamaani and his Iranian counterpart Dr. Jamshid Amouzegar.

In October 1986, King Fahd dismissed Yamani. He also dismissed Dr. Abdulhady Hassan Taher, who was the founder of Petromin oils (now part of Aramco) and had a major role in the Saudi oil history. The reasons for this include the Saudi government's insistence on setting their own oil policy. Another reason could have been their power, since they were both running the Saudi petroleum industry. In 1990, Yamaani founded the Centre for Global Energy Studies, a market analysis group.