A step forward for women in Oman
Women have excelled in many fields; this time they are contesting to bring a paradigm shift in business relations
Omanitwomenthavetbeentattthe forefronttoftbuildingtthetnation fortovertrmtyearstoftthetblessed Renaissancekttheirteagerness totseetomantgrowtandtprosper intvarioustfieldsthastbeentvitaltintthetdevelopj menttoftthetsultanatetandttodayitintwhattcould onlytbettermedtatparadigmtshiftitittistcommon totseetwomen’stparticipationtinteverytfieldk
Amongtthetmanytwomentsettingtexamples aretareejtmohsinthaidertdarwishitchairperj sontoftthetautomotiveitconstructiontequipj menttctrenewabletenergyteacereftclustertof Mohsinthaidertdarwishitsihamtaltharthyitcoj foundertoftsihamtdevelopmenttctinvestmenti andtdrtamaaltrashidtaltabrawiitceotoftfalhai whotaretstandingtintthetomantchambertof Commercetandtindustryteocciftelectionsk
‘The path to success is not a straight line’
“Astantindividualtandtbusinesstleaderitithavetalj waystbelievedtthattwetneedttotcontributettotnaj tiontbuildingtandtservetthetcommunitytto achievetthetnation’stgoalsktmytextensivetexpej riencetintthetbusinesstsectortastchairpersontof Mhdtacereitastwelltastbeingtatmembertof Sharakatfromtomnvttotomomtandtchairperson oftomantbusinesstforumitgavetmetthetimpetus totstandtfortoccitelectionstastitwantttotconj tributettotthetdevelopmentaltplanstthroughtacj tivetparticipationi”tareejttoldtmuscattdailyk
Shetaddedtthattoccitistseekingtstrategic partnershipstwithtbothtpublictandtprivatetsecj torstandtisteagertfortgrowthtoftbusinesses acrossteconomictsectorskt“ittistalsotplayingta crucialtroletintpositioningtomantastantattractive destinationtfortforeigntdirecttinvestmentitand promotingtsmestandtinnovativetwaystoftdoing businessktthesetaretgoalstwhichtitwouldtliketto worktonttotfurthertacceleratettheteconomic growthtintomanktitwouldtlikettotworktontthe longjtermtgoalstontatnationaltscaletwithtocci tottaketoman’steconomyttotgreatertheightsk”
Onthowtshetcantmaketatdifferenceitareej saidthertobjectivestaretandtalwaysthavetbeen intlinetwithtthetvisiontlaidtouttfortomantbytthe latetsultantqaboostbintsaidtandthistmajesty Sultanthaithamtbinttarikk
“Mytfirsttandtforemosttobjectivetistconj tributingttotthetdevelopmenttoftomantandtits economytintgeneralttotachievetitststrategic goalstastoutlinedtintthetnationaltdevelopment planstandtvisionsi”tshetsaidk
“Alsoitontmytagendataretsupportingtthe economictsectorstwithtthetaimtoftcreatingta balancedtgrowthtandtdevelopmenttbetween oiltandtnonjoiltsectorsitempoweringtwomen acrosstthetcountryitcreatingtantattractivetbusij nesstclimatettotencouragetforeigntinvestments andtjointtpartnershipstbetweentomantand othertcountriesi”tshetaddedk
Ontthetchallengestshetistreadyttotfacetasta womanitareejtsaidtthattthetpathttotsuccesstis nottatstraighttlinekt“it’stverytoftentatcurvedtone withtchallengestalongtthetwayktitembracetchalj lengestwithtpositivitytastitamtatverytpositive persontandthavetthetopiniontthattwetcantoverj cometchallengestbytattuningtourtperception andtwithtthetrighttapproachttotatchallengek
“Challengesthelptbuildtourtleadershiptskills andtmaketustrealisetthattanythingtistpossiblek Everytchallengetistantopportunityttottaketustto thetnexttleveli”tshetsaidk
Areejtstatedtthattthetlatetsultantqaboostbin Saidtstressedtontomanitwomentplayingttheir duetroletintoman’stsocietytandteconomytand presentedtthemtequaltopportunitiestinteducaj tionitemploymenttandtsocialtdevelopmentk
“Complementingtthistapproachithis Majestytsultantbinthaithamthastalsotlaidtspej cialtemphasistontwomentasthetconsiderstusta pillartoftdevelopmentkthethastempoweredtand giventwomentatplatformttotgrowtandtfulfiltour careertaspirationstandtparticipatetintvarious aspectstofttheteconomyi”tshetsaidk
“Omanitwomenthavetcarvedtatnichetfor themselvestacrosstalltsectorsktittistcommendj abletthattwethavetomanitwomentattthethelm andtkeytpositionskttheytaretmakingtatkeytconj tributionsttotthetgrowthtandtdevelopmenttof thetnationk”
Areejtnotedtthattthetwomentofttodaytare breakingtbarrierstandtthetskytistthetlimittto whatttheytcantachievek
“Itttakesttimeitperseverancetandtdetermij nationttotsucceedxtpatiencetistthetkeykthaving moretwomentontthetboardtoftoccitwill demonstratetthetstridestbeingttakentbytoman intwomentempowermentktthistwilltencourage andtinspiretothertyoungtomanitwomenttotnew milestonestandtgreatertheightsk”t
‘OCCI needs clear strategy’
Fortsihamtaltharthyitcojfoundertoftsihamtdej velopmenttctinvestmentitatshifttfromtthetgovj ernmentttotprivatetsectortrevealedtthetgaptthat existstastatresulttoftocci’stlacktoftatcleartstratj egytintthetroletittplaystastantadvisorytplatform representingtthetprivatetsectortinternallytand externallyk
“Ithopettotstarttcreatingtatcleartstrategytand objectivestfortthetchambertfortthetcoming yearstbytsettingtregionaltandtglobaltperformj ancetindicatorsttotmeasuretitstperformancei” shetsaidk
“Occitshouldtbetatstrategictpartnertwith thetgovernmenttintformulatingtlawstandtreguj lationstthattattracttinvestmentktformingta counciltoftbusinessmentandtwomentwhich meetstperiodicallytwithtdecisionjmakerstintthe governmentitthroughtwhichtopportunitiestand challengestaretdiscussedtintattransparenttmanj nertfortrealtsolutionsitwilltenhancetthetbusiness environmentk”
Sihamtnotedtthetneedttotfollowtuptontthe growthtoftsmalltstartupstandtsupportttheir T developmentttotturntintotmediumtandtlarge companiesitwhichtintturntwilltsupporttthe economytandtprovidetjobtopportunitiestto youngtpeoplekt“wetneedttotcreatetopportunij tiestfortomanitcompaniesttotentertthetglobal markettandttotattracttforeigntinvestmentsi” shetsaidk
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“Thetagendatfortoccitalsotpromotestwider communitytandtsectortparticipationktthis T istseentintmytcampaigntmessagestacross T socialtmediatandtmediatinterviewsktthis T
istnottabouttonetcandidatetbuttabouttincreasj ingtthetdiversificationtoftthetoccitboard T
membersk”t
Sihamtsaidtoccidsthealthytbalancetsheet suggeststittcantalsotacttastatsignificanttinvestor intthetcommunitytittrepresentskt“additionallyi Occitneedsttotworktintclosetcoordinationtwith othertbusinesstchamberstintthetgcci”tshe saidk
‘There is no gender discrimination in Oman’
Drtamaaltrashidtaltabrawiitceotoftfalhaitsaid thetrecenttroyaltdecreetregardingtoccitboard membershipthastgiventequaltopportunitiestto mentandtwomenkt“wetaretfortunatetthattthere istnotgendertdiscriminationkttiitbeingtatwomani amtfortunatetandtprivilegedttotcontesttintthe Occitelectionstequallytalongtwithtthetother maletcontestantsktitstronglytbelievetthattthere istnotcerebraltdifferencetbetweentmentand womentintfacingtthetchallengestregardlesstof whottheytarekttthetcredentialstandtexperience oftantindividualtaretalltthattmatterttotcontribute totthetagendatplacedtbytthetoccitboardktti stronglytbelievetintthettalenttregardlesstoftthe genderi”tshetsaidk
“Womentbeingtappointedtastleaderstand decisiontmakerstintvarioustgovernmenttand privatetsectortinstitutionstreflecttthattwetare privilegedtandtfortunatettotbetgiventequaltopj portunitiestintsultanatektiturgetalltwomentto cometforwardtfearlesslytandtparticipatetintthe growthtoftthetnationktitalsotadvocatetequality intempowermenttoftbothtmentandtwomen basedtontcredentialsitnottontgenderi”tshe addedk
Amaaltsaidttheteconomictchallengestthat thetnationthastbeentencounteringtbecausetof varioustreasonsthelpedthertgaintadequatetexj periencekt“beingtthetownertoftatprivatetbusij nesstentitytandthavingtcloselytwitnessedtand experiencedtchallengestfortthetpastttenttyearsi besidestbeingtatmembertoftoccitfortthetpast eighttyearsittastwelltastthetboardtmembertof Asmedteauthoritytoftsmalltandtmediumtenj terprisestdevelopmentfititunderstandtthetdyj namicstoftthetmarkettintgeneraltandthaveta thoroughtoverviewtoftthetoccitboardititstrej sponsibilitiestandtthetaccountabilitiestofta boardtmemberi”tshetsaidk
My first and foremost objective is contributing to the development of Oman and its economy to achieve strategic goals AREEJ MOHSIN HAIDER DARWISH
I don’t believe that there are differences between men and women in management; it is the ability to lead and the vision of the leader that matter SIHAM AL HARTHY
The OCCI structure needs amendments. My aim is to equip, facilitate and support startups to place themselves strategically in the market DR AMAAL RASHID AL ABRAWI
Shetsaidtthatthertvisiontisttotcontributeitnot onlyttottheteconomictgrowthtoftthetprivatetinj dustryitbuttalsotfortitstsustainabilitytintsynctwith thetomantvisiontomqmktt“thetoccitstructure needstamendmentsttotreachtthetnexttstagetto aligntwithtomantvisiontomqmtintgivingtequal rightsttotvoterstastgiventtotoccitmemberskttmy aimtisttotequipitfacilitatetandtsupporttstartups totplacetthemselveststrategicallytintthetmarj keti”tshetsaidk
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“Itamtequippedtwithtadequatetqualificationsi andtittaketthetprivilegettotstatetthattithaveta Master’stdegreetintbusinesstadministrationi andtamtcertifiedtastantindustrialtinnovation Technologytspecialistktadditionallyititamtqualj ifiedtastatdigitaltfinancetexpertitwhichtgivestme antedgetastatcontestanti”tshetaddedk