Friday 25 / April / 2025
Muscat: Global investors, policymakers, and business leaders are set to converge in Muscat on 27–28 April 2025 for the inaugural Advantage Oman Forum, a two-day international platform focused on the future of investment, economic resilience, and strategic collaboration. The event will take place at the St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort and will open under the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs.
Organized by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, the forum is delivered through its investment arm, Invest OMAN. The gathering is expected to bring together more than 250 senior figures representing government agencies, multilateral organizations, and global media outlets. Its objective is to foster deeper dialogue around shifting capital flows, climate finance, regional integration, and long-term investment strategy, positioning Oman as a stable and constructive partner in an evolving global investment landscape.
The Advantage Oman Forum takes place at a time when governments and institutions around the world are reassessing their role in a more competitive global economy. Incentives and infrastructure alone are no longer sufficient to attract meaningful capital. Investors are increasingly prioritizing countries that offer consistent policy direction, institutional trust, and clear development frameworks. Oman’s model—grounded in political neutrality, regulatory reform, and purposeful diversification—reflects a strategic response to these demands. Vision 2040, the Sultanate’s national development agenda, aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and emphasizes resilience across key sectors such as clean energy, advanced manufacturing, logistics, agri-tech, and sustainable tourism.
The forum is structured around discussions that address the practical and policy-oriented dimensions of global investment. Topics include the integration of ESG metrics, the rise of green hydrogen, digital infrastructure development, and the reconfiguration of supply chains in response to geopolitical realignments. Oman’s regulatory updates, free zone models, and digital investor services are expected to feature as case studies in facilitating cross-border capital.
Among the keynote speakers is H.E. Luigi Di Maio, EU Special Representative for the Gulf Region, who will speak on the growing strategic alignment between Europe and the Gulf, as well as the rising role of mid-sized economies in diverse global interests. The forum will open with a strategic exchange moderated by CNN Editor-at-Large Richard Quest, joined by H.E. Qais Al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, and H.E. Abdulsalam Al Murshidi, President of the Oman Investment Authority. Their session, titled The Shape of Things to Come, will examine how megatrends such as climate transition, technological disruption, and global capital shifts are redefining investor expectations and reconfiguring economic diplomacy. The discussion will also explore Oman’s positioning as a partner that offers reliability, long-term clarity, and strategic access in a region of growing global importance.
The speaker lineup includes a broad range of international voices alongside national leaders. These include Michelle Karavias, Managing Director at Fitch Solutions; Diana Mangalagiu of Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford; and Creon Butler, Director of the Global Economy and Finance Programme at Chatham House; Dushyant Thakor, Deputy Executive Director at the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA); Jonathan McClory, nation branding specialist and Research Associate at Hertford College, University of Oxford. The forum will hear from renowned businessmen such as Mohamed Al Abbar, Founder of Emaar Properties; Mohammed Al Barwani, Chairman of MB Holding Group; Mohammed Mahfoodh Al Ardhi, Chairman of the Muscat Stock Exchange and Executive Chairman of Investcorp; Hilmi Panigoro, President Director at MedcoEnergi; Yusuff Ali, Founder of LuLu Group.
While Oman serves as the host, the forum is not framed as a national showcase but as a global exchange. The emphasis is on co-creating investment pathways that respond to shared challenges—from energy transition and food security to regional resilience and digital transformation. Discussions are expected to move beyond policy declarations toward actionable frameworks that align capital with long-term public value.
The event is by invitation only, but the main sessions will be broadcasted live on YouTube and LinkedIn, allowing a wider international audience to follow the proceedings in real time. This digital accessibility reflects an intentional effort to ensure that strategic economic dialogue remains inclusive.
