Ahmed Zaki Yamani

Ahmed Zaki Yamani, born on June thirtieth, nineteen thirty, was a prominent Saudi Arabian politician renowned for his influential role in the global oil industry. Serving as the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources from nineteen sixty-two to nineteen eighty-six, he was a key figure under four Saudi monarchs and played a significant part in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) for a remarkable twenty-five years.

Yamani's academic credentials are impressive, with degrees from prestigious institutions such as New York University School of Law and Harvard Law School, along with a doctorate from the University of Exeter. His journey in the Saudi government began in nineteen fifty-eight when he became a close adviser, leading to his appointment as oil minister in nineteen sixty-two. He is particularly remembered for his pivotal role during the nineteen seventy-three oil embargo, where he successfully urged OPEC to quadruple the price of crude oil, reshaping the energy landscape.

In December nineteen seventy-five, Yamani faced a harrowing experience when he and other OPEC ministers were taken hostage by the notorious terrorist Carlos (the Jackal) in Vienna, Austria. Remarkably, after two days of captivity, the hostages were released following a tense ordeal that involved a flight across North Africa, despite orders for Yamani's execution.

After his dismissal as oil minister by King Fahd in October nineteen eighty-six, Yamani continued to make significant contributions to the energy sector. In nineteen ninety, he founded the Centre for Global Energy Studies, a market analysis group, and remained active in private investments and cultural foundations until his passing in twenty twenty-one.