The Omani Academy for Small and Medium Enterprises, affiliated with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund (Inma), hosted the Leadership and Management Forum for the second time, under the theme of Financial Management and Investment. The forum witnessed the participation of more than 500 decision-makers from government and private companies, as well as relevant government institutions involved in planning, change, investment, finance managers, strategic planners, a group of economic and investment experts, entrepreneurs, investors, and owners of small and medium enterprises.
The forum took place at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Center in Muscat Governorate, where it played a role in exchanging experiences, building leadership and business relationships, and benefiting from global expertise to enhance the self-capabilities of company management and promote them. Additionally, the forum contributed to supporting Oman as an outstanding gateway in the field of business and conferences.
Former Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny, who led Ireland out of its worst recession when the country had to join the International Monetary Fund/European Union bailout program and return to prosperity, spoke at the forum. Under his leadership, Ireland regained full access to financial markets in 2013, and unemployment, which had reached over 15%, dropped to 6%, while Irish borrowing rates decreased from 15% to zero. The forum covered various specialized topics related to building leadership and technical and functional capabilities linked to real-time and future-oriented experience, bridging the gap between knowledge and skill execution, balancing growth and sustainability, enhancing collaboration between local and global expertise, exchanging knowledge and information, promoting innovation and creativity, and preparing individuals for financial management and leadership.
The forum also included a panel discussion to exchange experiences, highlighting various topics such as human resources, investment entrepreneurship, connecting investors with stakeholders, and financial technology trends.
The accompanying events of the forum included a musical performance by the talented Sultan Al-Rahbi, a drawing talent presentation by Wassan Al-Habsi, as well as a chanting segment performed by the talented Firas Al-Sulaimi. These activities were aimed at supporting and encouraging young Omani talents and fostering their innovative spirit.
It is worth mentioning that the Omani Academy for Small and Medium Enterprises was established on January 1, 2019, with the aim of contributing to the creation of a private sector that provides distinguished services to the society, thereby achieving sustainable development for the Omani national economy. Previously, the academy organized the “Leadership and Management Summit” with the participation of John Maxwell in 2019, and it also organized the first edition of the Muscat CEO Forum in collaboration with the Tom Oliver Group in 2020, followed by the second edition of the Muscat CEO Forum with the participation of Kevin Gaskell, former CEO of BMW, Porsche, and Lamborghini in 2022. In addition, the academy has launched many other initiatives that contribute to enhancing the small and medium enterprises sector, improving the efficiency of entrepreneurs, and fostering the business environment in the Sultanate of Oman.
