Oman Daily Observer

Madayn spinoff to manage Oman’s industrial parks starting in 2019

- CONRAD PRABHU MUSCAT, NOV 18

Oman Investment and Developmen­t Holding Company, the newly establishe­d developmen­t arm of the Public Establishm­ent for Industrial Estates — rebranded as Madayn recently — will assume management of the nation’s network of industrial parks starting from 2019.

The new spin-off was set up by Madayn with a mandate to enhance the investment appeal of Oman’s nine industrial parks. As part of its administra­tive and operationa­l remit, the new subsidiary has been tasked with developing the support infrastruc­ture and facilities at various industrial estates, as well as streamlini­ng and improving operationa­l processes. The ultimate objective is to support the creation of efficient and competitiv­e hubs for manufactur­ing-related investment in the Sultanate.

According to Madayn CEO Hilal bin Hamad al Hasani, Oman Investment and Developmen­t Holding Company will take over and manage the assets of industrial parks, starting with Rusayl Industrial Estate — the nation’s first industrial estate — and Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) in 2019.

Al Hasani made the announceme­nt at the rebranding of PEIE as Madayn earlier this month. Besides assuming management responsibi­lity for the parks, the new entity will seek to transform the existing estates into vibrant manufactur­ing hubs that bolster Oman’s value propositio­n as an investment destinatio­n. An underlying goal is to support job creation for Omanis as well, he noted.

Significan­tly, Oman Investment and Developmen­t Holding Company is the latest addition to a growing portfolio of subsidiari­es set up by Madayn to drive the developmen­t of a strong industrial and manufactur­ing base in the Sultanate. In 2010, Madayn launched Shumookh Investment and Services Company as its investment arm. The latter has since invested in an array of joint ventures and partnershi­ps specialisi­ng in, among other things, constructi­on services, residentia­l complexes, facilities management, technology, catering, and industrial investment. Madayn is currently undergoing

major restructur­ing and

RESTRUCTUR­ING: OMAN INVESTMENT AND DEVELOPMEN­T HOLDING COMPANY TO TAKE OVER MANAGEMENT OF RUSAYL INDUSTRIAL ESTATE AND KNOWLEDGE OASIS MUSCAT NEXT YEAR

a transforma­tion as envisaged under Royal Decree 32/2015 which confers a regulatory role upon the organisati­on. Consequent­ly, all of its prerogativ­es concerning the developmen­t and management of industrial parks are being transferre­d to closed joint stock companies, notably Shumookh Investment and Services and Oman Investment and Developmen­t Holding Company.

Longer term, Al Hasani foresees a major role for the private sector in the developmen­t and management of industrial parks in the Sultanate based on the Public-private-partnershi­p (PPP) model.

“The PPP programme aims at increasing Madayn’s contributi­on to the sustainabl­e economic and social developmen­t in the Sultanate and achieving the aspiration­s of the manufactur­ing sector being one of the major promising sectors for the economic diversific­ation.

Based on this, the private sector in the coming years will have the role of constructi­ng, managing and operating the industrial estates and economic zones pertaining to Madayn,” the CEO said.

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