Omran, the Oman Government’s tourism development and investment arm, today announced the appointment of four key new members of staff to its management team. These appointments cover key areas of focus for Omran, including environmental sustainability, project delivery, communications and investor relations.  They reflect Omran’s ongoing support of the Government’s plan to develop tourism as one of major national industries by 2020.

The appointments are:

Commenting on the new appointments, Eng. Wael Al-Lawati, CEO of Omran, said:

“Omran is a growing and changing organisation, with a portfolio of projects and joint ventures which will contribute substantially to the development of Oman’s tourism industry.  To meet the ambitious vision of the Oman Government, we need quality senior personnel who can deliver and communicate that delivery.

Furthermore, in line with our absolute belief in the process of Omanisation and the need to promote and develop Omani talent in this sector, we have diligently recruited these young and seasoned managers for their respective roles. This is one way we have identified to ensure the sustainability and success of the tourism industry.

I am extremely pleased to be able to welcome these newest recruits to the Omran team, and look forward to working closely with them to deliver for a growing Oman tourism industry.  The nature of the appointments reflects our commitment to the environment, to open and honest communications, and to project delivery.”

Mr Abdul Wahid Abdul Aziz Al Farsi has joined the Corporate Affairs department as External Affairs Manager, with a brief to communicate Omran’s vision internally and externally. His many responsibilities include developing and implementing communications strategy, external and internal communications, media relations, crisis management and issues management. Prior to joining Omran, Al Farsi spent 10 years working for Shell Oman and specifically on the Initilaaqah programme.

With its appointment of Environment Manager Ahmed Mohammed Al-Sabahi, Omran signals its commitment to environmentally sound sustainable development. Al-Sabahi joins Omran with extensive experience of environmental work, having spent over 18 years working for the Government in environmental roles, most recently as Environmental Expert with the Ministry of Environment & Climate Affairs.

In his new position he will manage the development of an environmental management system with all relevant policies and guidelines and ensure environmental compliance, in addition to covering environmental contracts management, energy initiatives and waste management.

As Senior Construction Manager, Nasser Saif Al-Maqbali ensures all Omran projects are completed on time, within budget and of the quality standard synonymous with the Omran name.

With a Masters in Civil Engineering and extensive experience in the construction sector, Al-Maqbali will also draw on his expertise to develop a new health, safety and security system for Omran.

New investor manager Ibrahim Sultan Saif Al-Hosni comes from a financial background with experience from both international organizations such as Ernst & Young and the Ministry of Finance, where he was overseeing the Government investments

Al-Hosni’s remit includes all existing investor relations as well as attracting new investors to Omran’s many projects. He will also provide input into business plans and budgets and source new investment opportunities.

© 2008 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)