S-OIL CEO Anwar Al Hizazi Receives Gold Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit

Awarded on ‘Foreign Company Day’ for Contributions to Industrial Cooperation Between Korea and Saudi Arabia
Successful Implementation of the 9-Trillion-Won Shaheen Project
Boosting Petrochemical Competitiveness

S-OIL CEO Anwar Al Hizazi has been awarded the Gold Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit in recognition of his contributions to economic development.

On November 13, Al Hizazi received the Gold Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit at the 2025 Foreign Company Day ceremony held at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas.

S-OIL CEO Anwar Al Hizazi was selected as a distinguished contributor to the industrial sector for his outstanding leadership, proactive response to the energy transition, and successful implementation of the 9.3 trillion won Shaheen project, which aims to strengthen the petrochemical portfolio for sustainable growth. This project has significantly enhanced the competitiveness of Korea’s petrochemical industry and contributed greatly to industrial development.

In addition, he decided to invest 263 billion won in a gas turbine power plant project in November last year to reduce carbon emissions, and completed the Technology Development (TS&D) Center in Magok, Seoul in September 2023, thereby strengthening R&D in the refining and petrochemical sectors and laying the foundation for the development of new growth engine technologies.

S-OIL Anwar Al Hizazi CEO.

In August last year, S-OIL became the first domestic refiner to supply Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to regular passenger routes. Through continued investments in both existing and new businesses, the company has made significant contributions to the national economic development.

CEO Al Hizazi stated, "With the active support of the Korean government, I will do my utmost to successfully complete the Shaheen project and help S-OIL and the domestic petrochemical industry reach new heights." He added, "I hope this will serve as an opportunity to further expand business cooperation between Korea and Saudi Arabia, and to lead future growth for both countries together."

The Shaheen project, led by S-OIL, is the largest petrochemical project in Korea and involves the construction of one of the world’s largest refinery-petrochemical steam crackers. It is also the first commercial implementation of the TC2C (Thermal Crude to Chemical) process developed by parent company Saudi Aramco. The project holds strategic significance for both Korea and Saudi Arabia.

The Shaheen project is expected to be a key initiative that will fundamentally strengthen the competitiveness of Korea’s petrochemical industry, which is facing challenges due to the expansion of state-of-the-art facilities in the region, including China.

Al Hizazi, a native of Saudi Arabia, was appointed CEO of S-OIL in May 2023. He majored in chemical engineering at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals and accumulated extensive experience in various fields at Saudi Aramco over 27 years since 1996, including oil and gas production facility management, business development, investment localization, management of mega-projects, and facility planning.

Since 2016, he has served as CEO of Aramco Asia Japan, and from 2018, as President of Aramco Asia, overseeing the Asian region. He has led the development of strategic joint ventures and partnerships with companies in Korea, China, and Japan, and played a major role in facilitating the final investment decision for the Shaheen project.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.