The World CIO 200 Summit Oman Edition successfully concluded at the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry Headquarters in Muscat on 17 August, bringing together senior technology leaders, policymakers, innovators and business executives for a day of insightful discussions, knowledge exchange and professional recognition.
The Oman edition provided a collaborative platform for technology and business leaders to discuss the evolving role of CIOs in driving digital transformation, strengthening industry partnerships and supporting the ambitions of Oman Vision 2040.
The summit was structured around four central pillars:
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Community: Building connections and empowering communities
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Knowledge: Sharing insights and advancing expertise
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Health: Promoting well-being, sustainability and responsible leadership
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Human: Putting people first and creating lasting impact
The event commenced with a welcome note from Eng. Ibrahim Al Hosni, Head of the Digital Economy and AI Committee at OCCI, followed by an opening address from Anushree Dixit, Chief Strategy Officer at Global Enterprise Connect.
The first panel discussion, “Digital Economy and Artificial Intelligence Committee Session – Oman 2040,”examined the role of emerging technologies, digital policy and artificial intelligence in supporting Oman’s long-term economic and national development objectives.
Moderator:
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Ahmed Al-Busaidi
Panelists:
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Eng. Azzan Al Kindi – Member, Digital Economy and AI Committee, OCCI
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Dr. Salim Al Shuaili – Member, Digital Economy and AI Committee, OCCI
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Dr. Fatima Al Maqbalduli – Member, Digital Economy and AI Committee, OCCI
The session highlighted the importance of collaboration between government institutions, private-sector organisations and technology leaders in building a future-ready digital economy.
In his keynote address, “The Collaborative CIO – Powering Cross-Industry Tech Alliances,” Saud Al Zakwani, Vice President of Information Digital Solution and Continuous Improvement at OQ Exploration & Production, discussed how shared intelligence and strategic collaboration can accelerate innovation across industries.
The keynote was followed by the power panel, “From Competition to Co-Creation: Why CIO Communities Win Faster.”The discussion focused on collaborative innovation, shared technology initiatives, vendor alignment and the value of strong CIO communities.
Moderator:
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Ahmed Al-Busaidi
Panelists:
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Hassan Al Barwani – Former Digital and IT Director, Petroleum Development Oman
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Dr. Younis Said Al-Anqoudi – Director of Technology, TRANSOM
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Mohamed Humaid Al-Yahyaei – Chief Financial Officer, Galfar Engineering & Contracting Company SAOG
The panel reinforced the idea that organisations can achieve stronger outcomes when technology leaders move beyond traditional competition and work together to address shared challenges.
Under the summit’s Knowledge pillar, Fatima Al-Raisi, CEO and Founder of Alif Labs for Artificial Intelligence and Faculty Member at Sultan Qaboos University, delivered the keynote address, “AI, Data Sovereignty and the Next Knowledge Economy.”
The session explored enterprise artificial intelligence, analytics maturity, responsible intelligence and the growing importance of protecting and managing data within an increasingly connected digital environment.
It also highlighted the need for organisations to adopt AI responsibly while building the governance frameworks, capabilities and talent required to participate in the next knowledge economy.
The summit also addressed the personal and organisational pressures faced by modern technology leaders through the leadership discussion, “The Burnout-Proof CIO.”
The panel examined mental resilience, decision fatigue and the challenges of leading organisations through continuous technological disruption.
Moderator:
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Ahmed Al-Busaidi
Panelists:
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Nasr Murtadha Al Saleh – Senior Project Manager, National Bank of Oman
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Eng. Saif Mohammed Nasser Al Mahrouqi – Director of the Information Technology Department, Ministry of Health, Directorate General of Health Services of Al Wusta Governorate
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Meslum AlKindi – Area IT Director, IHG Oman
The discussion emphasised that sustainable digital leadership requires more than technical expertise. It also depends on emotional resilience, healthy organisational cultures and responsible approaches to workload and decision-making.
The summit concluded with the keynote address, “Human-Centric Digital Transformation,” delivered by Abir Nasser Humaid Said Al Salmi, IT Learning Specialist at Knowledge Grid Academy.
The session focused on the principle that while technology can transform business operations, people ultimately determine the long-term success and impact of transformation initiatives.
The keynote encouraged organisations to ensure that digital strategies are inclusive, accessible and designed around the evolving needs of employees, customers and communities.
A key highlight of the summit was the CIO 200 Recognition and Felicitation Ceremony, which celebrated leading CIOs and technology executives for their contributions to innovation, business transformation and digital leadership in Oman.
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Mahmoud Aboulazm
Category: Leader
(Siemens Energy) -
Waleed Al Harthi
Category: Leader
(Rihal) -
Meer Shizan Ali
Category: Master
(ABQ Education Group) -
Shravan Kumar Singh
Category: Master
(Ramada Encore by Wyndham Muscat Al-Ghubra) -
Hardik Prajapati
Category: Master
(Muscat Steel Industries) -
Fahaz Marzook
Category: Master
(Enhance Group) -
Saud Al Zakwani
Category: Master
(OQ Exploration & Production) -
Saif ur Rehman
Category: Legend
(WJ Towell Group LLC) -
Salim Saif Al-Jahwari
Category: Legend
(EDO) -
Talal Al-Asmi
Category: Legend
(Al Maha Petroleum Products Marketing Co. SAOG) -
Amila Kumanayake
Category: Legend
(Insight Information Technology LLC) -
Meslum AlKindi
Category: Legend
(IHG Oman) -
Nishad Karukappadath
Category: Legend
(Muscat Overseas) -
Rajesh Kumar Gabriel
Category: Legend
(Badr Al Samaa Group of Hospitals) -
Raja Mohamed Kasim
Category: Legend
(Bahwan International Group)
The World CIO 200 Summit Oman Edition demonstrated the value of bringing technology leaders together to exchange experiences, build meaningful relationships and develop solutions to shared industry challenges.
Through its panel discussions, keynote addresses and recognition ceremony, the summit celebrated the individuals and organisations shaping Oman’s digital future while reinforcing the importance of collaboration, responsible innovation and people-first leadership.
Following the successful Oman edition, the global World CIO 200 journey will culminate at The World CIO 200 Grand Finale, taking place in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 22 to 24 September 2026. The Grand Finale will bring together CIOs, technology executives, innovators and industry leaders from around the world for three days of global networking, knowledge exchange, leadership recognition and strategic collaboration.
