Tuesday 15 / April / 2025
Muscat: The second day of the 8th Annual Conference of the Omani Society for Human Resource Management (OSHRM) continued with dynamic sessions featuring thought leaders and experts in leadership, human resources, and education.
The atmosphere was rich in dialogue and knowledge-sharing, reflecting the depth and diversity of the topics discussed.
The day began with a brief recap of key takeaways from Day One, followed by a keynote by Dr. Kate Barker, Executive Board Advisor and Chief Futurist at NEOM, titled “Leading the Future: What CEOs Expect from CHROs in the Age of AI.” Dr. Barker emphasized the strategic role of CHROs in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, noting that AI will transform the world of work within just a few years.
She emphasised that those with AI skills will lead the future and highlighted security challenges such as deepfake threats and NEOM’s advanced use of avatars and intelligent robotics. She urged immediate skill development, stating that change is now the only constant.
In another session, Dr. Roy Casagranda, Professor of Government at Austin Community College, delivered a talk inspired by Islamic history, exploring leadership models that remain relevant today.
Dr. Roy Casagranda stressed the importance of human-centered leadership and the balance between profit and employee well-being, advocating for reconnecting logic and emotion in leadership practice.
Fatima Alloghani, Founder and General Manager of Born2localize, presented a session titled “Decoding Localisation: Secrets to Success,” where she outlined key principles for effective localisation in global organisations. She praised Oman’s experience with Omanisation and emphasised integrating talent localisation within global diversity and inclusion agendas.
She also referenced successful case studies like Expo 2020 Dubai and ADCB Bank.
A panel discussion titled “Bold Teams: Building High-Performance Cultures through Psychological Safety” was moderated by Julian Troian and featured Dr. Kate Barker, Eng. Said Al Shanfari, CEO of the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hussein Al Lawati, CEO of Oman Development Bank, and Saher Sidhom, CEO of HackMasters.
Dr. Jokha Al Shukaili, CEO of the Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education, delivered a keynote on “The Role of Quality Assurance in Enhancing Effective Educational Leadership,” emphasizing the need to institutionalize a culture of continuous evaluation in educational institutions.
In a session titled “Who Took My Talent? Navigating Mobility in Modern Workplaces,” Abdulmalik Al Balushi, Chief HR Officer at Asyad Group, tackled challenges related to talent retention and proposed innovative solutions for workforce stability.
Jon de Jager, CEO of CT Group, delivered a session titled “Values-Based Leadership,” stressing the importance of aligning organizational goals with personal values to build resilient, socially impactful organisations.
Later, Ibtisam Al Khaifi, Founder and CEO of Simat for Human Development, spoke in a session titled “From Local Roots to Global Impact,” discussing how local context can shape leadership and talent development.
Saher Sidhom returned with a session titled “Cultural Hacks: How Everyone Can Become a Leader,” where he emphasised participatory leadership and empowering employees at all levels.
The day concluded with a panel discussion titled “Leading the Green Revolution: Steering Business Toward a Sustainable Future,” moderated by Eng. Amer Al Fadhil, HR Efficiency Director. Panelists included Dr. Ahmed Al Ghassani, Mayor of Dhofar, Eng. Badr Al Ma’amari, Secretary General of the Tender Board, Mark Higgins, VP of Digital Learning at LEORON Institute, and Dr. Mohab Al Hinai, VP of Sustainability & Circular Economy at be’ah.
The third and final day of OSHRM 8 will explore themes of workplace innovation, digital transformation, business growth, and creative leadership.
