Born in
Manama, Al Shehabi earned a
Bachelor of Arts in Social and Philosophical Studies from
Alexandria University in
Egypt in 1967, a Diploma in Medical Records from the Higher Institute for Advanced Studies in Egypt in 1975, a Diploma in Medical Records from the
University of Bristol in the
United Kingdom in 1976, and a
Master of Health Administration from the
University of Minnesota in 1984. Al Shehabi taught at the
Ministry of Education (Bahrain) from 1967 to 1969, then served as Director of Personnel Affairs at the Ministry of Health from 1974 to 1975, Administrative Assistant at the
Salmaniya Medical Complex from 1976 to 1980, and the Complex’s Assistant Executive Director from 1980 to 1983. He then served as Director of Administrative and Financial Affairs at the Ministry of Labour and Social Development from 1983 to 1992, the Assistant Undersecretary for Social Affairs at the same Ministry from 1992 to 1999, then Assistant Undersecretary for Labor Affairs there from 1999 to 2004. He was appointed to the
Consultative Council, the upper house of Parliament, in 2005 to succeed Hashim Al Bash upon the latter’s appointment as
Minister of Foreign Affairs. In February 2012, he succeeded
Fatima bint Mohammed Al Balooshi after she briefly held the portfolio along with being Minister of Social Development. == Death ==