Eminent speakers to address OER Business Summit 2017

Muscat: Organised by Oman Economic Review (OER), the Sultanate’s premium magazine, the OER Business Summit 2017, will bring together captains of the Oman’s industry and who’s who of the corporate sector for an engaging discussion on the main theme, ‘Paradigm Shift: Thinking beyond oil' among other topics.
Talal Al Rahbi, deputy secretary general, Supreme Council for Planning will be the chief guest. The summit will take place on October 2 at Oman Sheraton Hotel.
Raoul Restucci, managing director, Petroleum Development Oman will deliver the keynote address. Fabio Scacciavillani, chief economist and member of the Investment Committee, Oman Investment Fund will make a presentation on - ‘State of Oman’s Economy,’ while Jalal Al Lawati, Promotion manager, Duqm Special Economic Zone Authority (SEZAD) will make a presentation on the prospects and opportunities at SEZAD. Others include Mohamed Nayaz, Partner, EY on 'Cybersecurity threat and how companies can secure themselves against such threats,’ Dr Philip Boigner, CEO, Innovation Development Oman on ‘IDO’s initiatives and fostering innovation in Oman’ and Ali Abdulaziz CEO, Woufra Capital on ‘The Exponential Age’.
PDO, the leading oil and gas exploration and production company, Oman Oil company, a commercial company wholly owned by the government of the Sultanate, Omantel, the pioneer of total communications in the Sultanate, Al Jenaibi International Automobiles, the exclusive importer for BMW, Port of Duqm and Areej Vegetable Oils and Derivatives are the strategic partners of OER Business Summit 2017. Bank Sohar, Oman Cables Industry, Taageer Finance, OCTAL, LuLu Exchange Holdings and National Training Institute are the support partners, while Business International Group (BIG), the Light and Sound partner. Times of Oman and Al Shabiba are the Media Partners and Oman Printers & Stationers, the Print Partner.
Nima Abu Wardeh, former presenter of BBC’s Middle East Business Report will be the moderator of the summit. Experts including Khalid Ansari of KPMG, Rajeev Singh, Partner, Transaction Advisory Services, EY, Middle East will address the summit. The summit will have a panel discussion on sunshine sectors: Lynchpins of future growth. The panelists include Reggy Vermeulen, CEO, Port of Duqm; Dean Cunningham, CEO, Kunooz Holding, Pascal Cange – Director, Legal and Corporate Affairs, OCTAL, Mohammed Mubarak Al-Shikely, Vice President Marketing, Oman Air, Ashok Hariharan, Head of Tax, KPMG in Lower Gulf, Srinivasa Rao Edupall, Unit Head, Project Finance and Syndication Department, Bank Sohar.
Low oil prices have forced the hydrocarbon dependent economies to look at ways of augmenting revenues from alternative sources. The Sultanate has been quick to respond to the new reality by introducing a number of new initiatives such as Tanfeedh; public-private partnerships; changes in taxation, subsidy and levies; privatisation; enhanced efficiencies and reducing redundancies. The OER Business Summit 2017 will delve into the new reality and future choices.
The government has identified public-private partnerships as an important policy measure for future development. It is also looking at encouraging the private sector to invest in public sector companies. The summit will look at the preparedness of the private sector to take on this role, their wish list and regulatory changes that need to be taken to encourage private sector investment and initiative.
Panelists at the discussion on public-private partnership include Pankaj Khimji, director, Khimji Ramdas, Shahswar al Balushi, CEO, Oman Society of Contractors, Qais al Zakwani, executive director, Authority for Electricity Regulation, Hatem Al Sanfari, chairman, GBCM and noted Economist and Rajeev Singh, partner, Transaction Advisory Services, EY.
Presentation by experts on changes in taxation, VAT and implications for the corporate sector, will be the highlight of the summit. Sectors that hold promise include manufacturing, ports and logistics and tourism. The panel discussion will look at the strengths of these sectors and measures that need to be taken to unlock their true value.