NBO launches ‘Tijarati’ speaker series for SMEs

Muscat: To contribute to Oman’s strategic diversification agenda, the National Bank of Oman (NBO) has launched the "Tijarati" SME Speakers Series—a quarterly panel discussion with successful entrepreneurs and leaders within the small and medium enterprise (SME) community on how they grew their businesses.
“As one of the first Banks in Oman to have a dedicated SME department, we are happy to announce the NBO's new SME Speaker Series. It is simply an extension of the support and encouragement we offer business owners. It is a vital part of who we are and our commitment to the growth of our country,” said Nasser Al Rashdi, General Manager and Chief Commercial Banking Officer at NBO.
"We strongly believe that the ‘Tijarati’ SME Speaker Series will help strengthen the relationship with customers who own a business or are interested in starting a business,” he added.
The first session of the SME Speaker Series saw the presence of leading members of the start-up community and included Hilal bin Hamed Al Busaidi, CEO of Gulf Energy; Ihab Adnan Al Haj, Board Member SME Fund; HH Dr Adham Al Said, Assistant Professor of Economics at the College of Economics and Political Science at SQU; and Sheikh Salah Hilal Al Maawali, CEO of INMA.
The panellists shared their personal experiences and how they overcame challenges and what led to their success. The panellists answered questions from the audience related to starting and managing a business. Moreover, the session highlighted the government's role in supporting SMEs, in accordance with the directions of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, by discussing important legislations and the resulting opportunities for entrepreneurs.
Realising the importance of SMEs in developing Oman’s economy, NBO has become the partner of choice for many businesses. Understanding the importance of innovation in creating a vibrant and diversified economy, the bank hosted Oman’s first “Hackathon” for more than 300 students, start-ups, and entrepreneurs to present the best tech-driven idea for banking.
The bank also established its own "Innovation in SME" Award to stimulate the minds of the youth by transforming business ideas into reality. For the latter efforts, the bank was given the prize for "Best Financial Support" at the 2018 Entrepreneurship Awards by Riyada.
NBO was recognised for its commitment in supporting business owners and presenting them with innovative financial solutions as the Sultanate works towards economic diversification.