Muscat – The Oman Investment Authority (OIA) on Tuesday announced the winners of the third edition of its Excellence Award, which featured eight categories. The OIA Excellence Award serves as a strategic tool to foster competitiveness among its portfolio companies through a rigorous, metrics-based approach aligned with national objectives.

The winners were revealed during the 10th edition of the Rawabet Forum, organised by OIA and hosted this year by Omantel under the patronage of H E Sheikh Ghuson bin Hilal Al Alawi, Chairman of the State Audit Institution. The event was attended by H E Abdulsalam bin Mohammed Al Murshidi, President of OIA, along with senior officials, board members of OIA companies and chief executives.

OQ Group won the Investment and Job Creation award for its Ladayn Complex project, which attracted nine investments worth RO39mn and created 728 direct jobs, in addition to 500 indirect jobs.

Omantel secured the Performance and Financial Sustainability award for achieving the highest improvement in sustainability indicators, including an 88% increase in net profit, alongside strong efficiency in return on assets and cash flows. The company also won the Social Investment award for its Maqroo initiative.

Omran Group received the Private Sector Engagement award for achieving full marks in attracting foreign capital and executing successful exits from both the Sultan Qaboos Port Waterfront Development Project and the Yiti Development Project (Phase 3).

The Muscat International School project, affiliated with the Oman-Brunei Investment Company, won the Outstanding Project award. The evaluation was based on adherence to timelines, compliance with budgets, and the highest standards of occupational safety, with the condition that the project had been operational for at least six months.

Nama Holding, represented by Nama Water Services and Nama Distribution, won the Local Content and Innovation award for achieving the highest average spending on local added value and domestic expenditure, while be’ah was recognised in the SME and Startup Support category.

The newly introduced Project Collaboration category recognised two winning initiatives: the Activation of Economic Diplomacy project in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Indirect Omanisation in the ICT Sector project in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour.

The OIA Excellence Award, with its eight categories, reflects OIA’s commitment to encouraging its companies to achieve sustainable performance and create added value for the national economy.

Focus on key sectors

H E Al Murshidi said OIA continues to translate the objectives of the 11^th Five-Year Plan and Oman Vision 2040 into tangible outcomes by focusing on priority sectors such as tourism, the digital economy and manufacturing. Through this approach, OIA aims to drive economic diversification and strengthen the developmental impact of its investments.

He emphasised that OIA companies play a central role in this effort by delivering high-quality projects that enhance value creation and support sustainable growth. He noted that these companies have demonstrated their ability to translate strategies into measurable achievements, whether by strengthening private sector partnerships, attracting foreign investment, or developing projects that stimulate economic activity and create jobs.

H E Al Murshidi added that integration among OIA companies is no longer optional but essential to maximising economic returns and achieving the desired impact. He called for building on existing achievements and accelerating efforts in the coming phase, particularly given the opportunities to enhance performance, improve efficiency and attract investment, while maintaining the highest standards of excellence.

New initiatives and agreements

As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen integration across OIA portfolio companies, the Rawabet Forum also saw the announcement of a new package of initiatives resulting from OIA’s annual brainstorming workshops. This year, 20 initiatives underwent multiple stages of evaluation, with 10 approved by the steering committee as practical steps towards moving from planning to execution and enhancing value creation in the national economy.

The forum also witnessed the signing of several strategic agreements, reflecting OIA’s commitment, together with its companies, to fostering high-quality partnerships, advancing integration and enabling projects with sustainable economic and developmental impact.

In addition, a panel discussion featuring several chief executives from OIA companies explored their role in advancing the objectives of the 11^th Five-Year Plan and Oman Vision 2040. Participants shared their experiences in enhancing integration, improving operational efficiency and driving growth across their respective sectors, while also highlighting future opportunities and challenges.