Korea awarded S-Oil CEO Anwar A. Al-Hejazi the nation’s highest industrial medal on Thursday, a recognition that spotlights the foreign executive’s role in advancing the 9.3 trillion won ($6.37 billion) Shaheen Project — one of the country’s most consequential petrochemical investments.
CEO Al-Hejazi received the "Gold Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit" at the 2025 Foreign Company Day ceremony at the Grand Intercontinental Seoul Parnas on Thursday, recognizing his contribution to the nation's economic development.
Al-Hejazi, who became CEO of S-Oil in 2023, was honored for leading the Shaheen Project, a massive petrochemical complex under construction in Ulsan. The government cited his contribution to enhancing the competitiveness of the domestic petrochemicals industry.
A Saudi national, Al-Hejazi is an expert with 27 years in the energy sector. He comes from S-Oil's largest shareholder, Aramco, the world's largest oil producer. He previously served as Representative director of Aramco Japan and President of Aramco Asia.
S-Oil also highlighted the other achievements under his leadership, including investments in a gas turbine power plant to reduce carbon emissions, the completion of its research and development center in Magok, Seoul, and becoming the first Korean refiner to supply Sustainable Aviation Fuel on regular passenger routes last August.
“With this honor and strong support of the Korean government, S-Oil will strive for the successful delivery of the Shaheen Project," the CEO said. "We intend this award to serve as an opportunity to expand business cooperation between Korea and Saudi Arabia."
The Shaheen Project includes the world's largest petrochemical steam cracker, a facility that produces chemicals from crude for use in making products. It is the world's first project to use Aramco's Thermal Crude to Chemical (TC2C) process and is considered a key project for strengthening the Korean petrochemical industry.
sunblessyou@heraldcorp.com
