Muscat – The International Women Leadership (IWF) Fellows Program has announced the selection of Salma Ali Al Hashmi, alumnae of Royal Academy of Management and Vice-President of Marketing at Al Mouj Muscat, for its 2026–2027 cohort. She has become the first woman leader from Oman and the GCC to secure a place on the programme since its establishment in 1994.

The programme follows a rigorous selection process, with an acceptance rate of no more than 10% of applicants.

Each year, it welcomes up to 35 women leaders from around the world, including entrepreneurs, senior government officials and leaders of civil society organisations.

The programme’s alumnae have held prominent senior leadership positions across sectors and international institutions. They include Leena Nair, Global CEO of Chanel; Vanessa Wyche, Director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center; and Vianna Maino, Ecuador’s former Minister of Telecommunications and Information Technology.

Salma began her participation alongside the new cohort at the programme’s orientation in Mexico City in October 2026, sharing regional perspectives and experience within a distinguished global leadership network.

Alongside her executive role at Al Mouj Muscat, Salma sits on a number of boards and leadership platforms, including Mazoon Dairy, Unicef Oman’s Business Leadership Council and the Oman-Italy Association.

Commenting on the announcement Dr Ali bin Qassim Al Lawati, President of the Royal Academy of Management, said, “The value of a programme is ultimately defined by the calibre of the people it brings together, the strength of the institution and network behind it, and the relationships and exchange that continue long after the programme itself.

“The IWF Leadership Fellows Program has built that reputation over more than three decades. As an alumna of the Royal Academy of Management, Salma’s selection is something we are particularly proud to see. It gives an Omani leader the opportunity to contribute to that global community, while bringing new perspectives, relationships and knowledge back into Oman.”

Salma said, “To be the first Omani and Gulf business leader selected for the programme is a privilege, but I also see it as an opportunity to bring our perspective into a much wider leadership conversation. I am particularly looking forward to learning from the fellows and alumnae who have come through the programme, building relationships across different sectors and geographies, and bringing some of that learning and exchange back to Oman. Through my legacy project, I want to open that network to other Omani women by creating a mentorship pathway that connects them with IWF Leadership Fellow Program alumnae around the world.”