RIYADH: The board of directors of the Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG) on Sunday accepted the resignation of Dr. Azzam Al-Dakhil, chief executive and managing director of the company, who opted to leave for private reasons.

In a statement shared with the Saudi stock exchange, known as the Tadawul, SRMG said the resignation took effect as of Jan. 29.

The board has appointed Dr. Ghassan Al-Shibl as its new managing director and chief executive of the group, starting on the same date. The appointment will be presented to the first meeting of SRMG’s general assembly for approval.

Al-Shibl holds a Ph.D in engineering management with specializations in the economy and computer science from George Washington University in the US, and a master’s in engineering management from the same university. He holds several diplomas in manufacturing, technical and accounting management.

He is currently chairman of Saudi Arabian Airlines, and has been a board member for several organizations, most notably the Advisory Board for Economic Affairs at the Supreme Economic Council.