NBO’s ‘Tijarati’ series to train SMEs

Small and mediumsized enterprises represent a significant portion of all businesses in Oman

MUSCAT: National Bank of Oman (NBO) hosted the second edition of the ‘Tijarati Series’. Held at the bank’s headquarters, the event brought together NBO customers, start-ups, successful entrepreneurs and SMEs to share their personal journeys of trials and tribulations as they venture into the business world.

“Small and medium-sized enterprises represent a significant portion of all businesses in Oman. They can make a strong contribution to the country by creating jobs, empowering youth and diversifying the economy,” said Fawaz Sulaiman Al-Riyami, AGM – head of Small & Medium Enterprises at NBO. “NBO has always been a backer of Oman’s strategic economic agenda and will continue to work towards promoting and encouraging SMEs to play a larger role in the future of the country’s GDP. We hope that the ‘Tijariti Series’ motivates existing SMEs to sustain performance and growth by sharing personal journeys on the road to success.”

NBO also hosted Othman Al Mandhari, founder and CEO of InnoTech, who explained the importance of having a strong strategy in order to make a business successful. The event also included an open panel discussion with leading members of the start-up community, including Dr Ahmed Al Ghassani, CEO at the Public Authority for SME Development (Riyada), Malak Al Shaibani, director general of National Business Centre (NBC) and Abdullah Al-Jufaili, general manager of Sharakah. Emphasis was placed on the importance of passion as the driving force for any successful business supported by effective back-office processes.

For over 40 years, NBO has dedicated itself to supporting the development of Oman and its people. It was the first local bank to launch a dedicated SME division to address the specific banking and finance needs of entrepreneurs and budding enterprises to unlock their full potential. As a result, ‘Tijarati’ offers not just traditional banking services. It offers access to free SME advisory services, which include workshops on skill development, financial management, bookkeeping, HR management, and IT as well as providing a platform for networking with the business community. Additional services include mentoring from senior management as well as skill development, training, and financial management at the NBO Academy of Excellence.