Sarah Jammaz Al-Suhaimi, one of the Middle East's most prominent financial executives, has been appointed Chairperson of the National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri), effective January 16, 2026. The three-year appointment marks another high-profile leadership position for Al-Suhaimi, who previously made history as the first woman to chair the Saudi Stock Exchange. Abdullah Al-Zamil was named Vice Chairperson, with the board also establishing three executive committees following an ordinary general assembly held in mid-January.
The appointment follows standard corporate governance procedures for the publicly listed shipping company. Al-Suhaimi was elected to the three-year term by shareholders during Bahri's recent general assembly, with the board meeting held on January 17 to formalize the new leadership structure. The company's statement to the Saudi Exchange (Tadawul) confirmed that the board appointed Al-Zamil to chair the nominations and remuneration committee, while Al-Suhaimi will chair the executive committee, signaling substantial operational responsibilities alongside the chairmanship. No information regarding search firm involvement has been disclosed in official filings.
Al-Suhaimi brings extensive financial services credentials to the shipping role. She previously served as Chairperson of Saudi Tadawul Group Holding, the operator of the Middle East's largest stock exchange, from February 2017 until April 2021. Between 2014 and 2021, she was Chief Executive Officer of NCB Capital, the investment banking arm of the National Commercial Bank, where she quadrupled assets under management and grew brokerage market share by more than 10 percent. Earlier in her career, she was Chief Investment Officer at Jadwa Investment and held senior portfolio management positions at Samba Financial Group, managing approximately US$12 billion in local equities. Al-Suhaimi holds a bachelor's degree in accounting with honors from King Saud University and completed Harvard Business School's General Management Program in 2015. She also serves as Chair of Lazard's Financial Advisory business in the Middle East and North Africa, and holds board positions at Saudi Telecom Company and Saudi Arabian Airlines, in addition to being a trustee of the IFRS Foundation since 2019.
Bahri operates as the national shipping carrier of Saudi Arabia and is among the world's largest owners and operators of very large crude carriers. Established by Royal Decree in 1978 as a public company, Bahri operates a diverse fleet across five business segments: oil transportation, chemicals, logistics, dry bulk, and ship management. The Public Investment Fund holds 22.55 percent of the company, Saudi Aramco Development Company holds 20 percent, with the remainder publicly listed on Tadawul. The company reported net profit exceeding SAR 2 billion (USD 533 million) for the first time in February 2025 as a growing fleet of 109 vessels generated increased revenue from expanded service offerings.
Al-Suhaimi's appointment to Bahri reflects a broader shift toward diversifying leadership in Saudi Arabia's state-linked enterprises, particularly in sectors traditionally dominated by men. Her selection also underscores the importance placed by major Saudi corporations on proven operational and capital markets expertise when filling top governance positions. Given her background in capital markets management and investment banking rather than maritime operations, her chairmanship suggests Bahri's board prioritizes financial oversight and shareholder value creation. The fact that she maintains simultaneous leadership roles at Lazard and Tadawul while taking the Bahri chairmanship indicates confidence in her capacity to manage multiple governance responsibilities, though it may also signal reliance on executive management teams for day-to-day operations across each organization.
