Board Directors

Academic & Professional Qualifications: 

BSc in Petroleum Engineering, University of Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, 1989

Work Experiences & current responsibilities:  

Over 31 years experience in the oil & gas industry mainly working for QatarEnergy (Formerly Qatar Petroleum). Extensive experience in leading specialized hydrocarbon development teams. Strong managerial and leadership skills. Lead an organization consist of over 100 culturally diverse professionals responsible for optimizing oil & gas development projects and supporting field operational activities.

Direct, coordinate and manage the prudent development and re-development of QatarEnergy’s operated onshore fields which includes objective setting, strategy formulation, plan development and redevelopment, implementation, monitoring and reporting of developed reserves and discovered undeveloped hydrocarbon reserves.

Maximise economic recovery from hydrocarbon resources by ensuring that the multiple reservoirs are being effectively managed and performance is optimised with sound geophysical, geological, petrophysical, reservoir and production engineering principles.

Vice-Chairman

Since 2008 he is handling QIMC Group’s Operation Function by providing leadership to all aspects of financial stewardship, budgeting, financial analysis, resource procurement, operational analysis. Responsible for all financial, administration and HR matters including banking relations, cash management, insurance, accounting, budgeting & forecasting and selection of company's group health insurance plan, enforce accounting policies and procedures to ensure efficiency.

After his graduation, Aktham Yousef M.J. Al-Baqali joined Qatar’s Ministry of Economy & Commerce as a Financial Researcher. Until date, Aktham Al-Baqali held several major business positions and he is an esteemed Chairman and Board Director in much successful companies; Qatar Acids Company, National Paper Industries Co. Gulf Formaldehyde Co. Qatar Aluminium Extrusion Co. (QALEX), Tarweej (QIMC’s Real Estate Directorate), Gulf Glass Factory (Zujaj), United Chemicals Co (UC), National Food Co (NAFCO)

Nicolas Poirot was appointed as CEO of Air Liquide Africa Middle East & India as of September, 2023.

Before taking this position, Mr. Poirot was the President & CEO of Air Liquide greater China from August 2019, based in Shanghai overseeing activities and operations across the region.

Nicolas served as President of Air Liquide South West Europe, based in Paris, from March 2016 to 2019, overseeing France, Italy, Spain and Portugal.

From 2012 to 2016, he served as the Group Vice President of Strategic & Operations Control & Executive Committee Secretary, responsible for Group performance piloting, strategic planning, and investment.

Nicolas spent 10 years in Southeast Asia between 2002 and 2012, holding positions of increasing responsibilities, from Sales & Marketing Director in Indonesia to Southeast Asia regional role (based in Singapore) and country Manager of Vietnam, after working in Engineering from 1999 to 2002. He started his journey with Air Liquide as on-site operations manager in Southern Africa in 1995.

Nicolas holds a MSc Chem Engineering degree from Ecole des Mines de Paris, and took advanced Management Programmes in London Business School and Singapore Nanyang Technological University.

Nicolas is also Chairman of Association of International Chemical Manufacturers (AICM) Board, a French economic trade advisor (CCEF), and board advisor of CAB CEIBS. In 2022, he was honored with the Shanghai Magnolia Silver Award.

François Legroux received his Engineering Degree from Ecole des Mines de Paris and holds also a master degree in Mathematics.

Prior to joining the Air Liquide Group he worked for Banque Indosuez in Shanghai as Deputy Representative.

François Legroux joined the Air Liquide Group in 1989 in France as Development Engineer. Then he was Quality Insurance Engineer and after Regional Manager, in charge of the East of France region.

He moved to Singapore in 1998 as Operation Controller for South East Asia and China and to Shanghai in 2000 as Air Liquide China Managing Director.

In 2004 he was back to France as HR Director for Air Liquide Gas and Services France and was then appointed Vice President Procurement Europe in 2009.

In 2012 he moved to Air Liquide Asia Head Office in Tokyo as Vice President Merger & Acquisitions Asia, and then to Jakarta in 2014 as President Director of Air Liquide Indonesia.

He was appointed Head of Corporate Finance, Air Liquide Group, based in Paris, in November 2017.

He is 59-year old, married with 3 children.

Monica Varagnat, is a graduate from the Ecole Polytechnique (Paris, France), with a Master of Science in Engineering from University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, USA).

She started her career as a R&D project manager for ArcelorMittal, within the automotive marketing division. She joined Air Liquide in 2011 as Industrial Project Manager for the Large Industry business line, in charge of efficiency and industrial compliance projects.

Between 2013 - 2022 she held several positions in Business Development and Commercial Management for the Large Industries business line in France. During her last assignment as Commercial Director for France, in addition to the management of the commercial portfolio (~500m€ yearly turnover), Monica has led the unprecedented wave of business development projects driven by the Energy Transition of the industrial sector in France.

In 2022, she joined the Group Head Office as “chargée de mission” for Matthieu Giard (Air Liquide Group VP, Member of the Executive Committee), coordinating the development of the Group’s strategic vision.

Since July 2023, Monica is Vice President Large Industries Business Line in charge of business development and industry for the Africa Middle-East and India HUB.

Ali Ahmed A. El Ghadi, Board Secretary and Finance Manager of GASAL. He relocated to Qatar in 1994 and served finance department then moved to the position as a trading manager of reputed companies in Qatar. In 2000, Ali joined Qatar Nitrogen Company (50:50 owned by QatarEnergy (Formerly Qatar Petroleum) and QIMC) as Board Secretary. He was then transferred to GASAL right upon its establishment in 2006. El Ghadi Holds B. Sc. (Honors) in Economics (1984 University of Gezira /Sudan and Master Degree in Planning (1993 University of Khartoum)).