Dr. Mohammed Sulaimani is a Lecturer of Public and International Affairs in the Department of Global Studies, at KFUPM Business School, KFUPM. As part of his graduate education, Dr. Sulaimani developed a strong foundation in the fields of natural resources governance, energy policy, and international relations.

During his academic pursuits, Dr. Sulaimani’s research interests evolved to focus on the complex dynamics of natural resource governance, with a particular emphasis on oil governance. He explored the dynamics of state-corporation contracting, foreign investment in natural resources, and the application of new institutional economics to understand the behavior of firms and governments in the extractive industry. His work seeks to contribute to the development of more effective and sustainable governance frameworks for natural resources, which are critical to the economic development of nations.

With a strong background in international relations, Dr. Sulaimani’s research also examines the global dimensions of energy policy, including the geopolitical implications of energy trade, the role of politics in shaping energy governance, and the impact of global events on energy markets.

Dr. Sulaimani’s research reflect his interdisciplinary approach to research, combining insights from economics, politics, and international relations to analyze complex problems in natural resource governance and energy policy. His Master’s thesis, “Saudi Aramco’s IPO: An Interaction between a National Oil Company and International Stock Markets,” analyzed the Saudi government’s proposal to list a share of 5% of Saudi Aramco in international stock exchange markets from neoliberal and neorealist theoretical perspectives. The research explored the interaction between the Saudi government, as a sovereign shareholder, and international stock markets, concluding that the Saudi government was attempting to influence the laws and regulations of major stock exchange markets through the power and influence of Saudi Aramco.

Dr. Sulaimani’s Ph.D. dissertation, “In Between Sovereigns: The Political Economy of International Oil Concessions,” developed a novel theory of oil nationalization based on insights from new institutionalism in political science and economics. The research argued that high enforcement costs inherent in international oil concession agreements contribute significantly to oil nationalization, with a case study focusing on the Aramco concession agreement with the Saudi Arabian government. Through an analysis of archival data, diplomatic correspondence, and personal memoirs, the research revealed the substantial enforcement costs paid by both Aramco and the United States’ government in their efforts to maintain the concession agreement. The dissertation concluded that nationalization emerges as a consequence of the failure to adequately address these escalating enforcement costs.

Ph.D. in Public and International Affairs, International Natural Resource Governance, University of Pittsburgh, 2024

Master of International Affairs, Energy Policy, Pennsylvania State University, 2018

Bachelor of Science in Political Science, International Political Economy, King Abdulaziz University, 2013 

Energy Policy and Natural Resources Governance

Institutional Economics

International Relations