Muscat:The OABC has grown from 39 to 94 members and has organised and co-hosted 20 events, as more Omani businesses seek to join its growing list of corporate and premium members. In particular, corporate membership has grown from 19 to 44 members, while premium members have increased from 12 to 29 members.

In particular, corporate membership has grown from 19 to 44 members, while premium members have increased from 12 to 29 members.

OABC president Ali Daud presented 12 OABC members with certificates of appreciation for their contributions to the organisation’s development in 2014 at a recent membership meeting to review its annual activities and amend the OABC charter. Greta Holtz, United States ambassador to the Sultanate, was present at the meeting.

Also, representatives from American Express Oman, Bahwan CyberTek, Bank of Beirut, Daud Enterprises, DHL, Dover Middle East, Dentons, Grand Hyatt Muscat, InterContinental Muscat, Octal, Park Inn by Radisson Muscat, and Port of Salalah were also recognised for sharing their expertise and client base to benefit other members, as well as encouraging more companies to join and continue strengthening the reputation of the council.

The OABC president noted, “We have seen incredible growth in membership this year, enhancing the reach and influence of OABC and allowing us to expand the range of opportunities for Omani companies to meet senior management from well-known local and multinational businesses. Membership in OABC offers businesses a number of direct benefits and promotes greater private sector cooperation across all sectors by utilising the Free Trade Agreement between the two countries to increase international trade and bring greater investment to Oman.”

Over the past year, OABC has organised and co-hosted 20 events, as more Omani businesses seek to foster commercial activities and mutual interests with counterparts in the United States. The council has also held a variety of recruitment and networking events designed to create partnerships between US organisations and the Omani business community.

OABC has also worked closely with the Ministry of Manpower to conduct a well-attended labour law workshop and inform Omani businesses about changes to Human Resources laws and regulations in Oman. OABC plans to further collaborate with the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) on upcoming events in 2015.

OABC is also working to support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Following OABC’s tour of the Information Technology Authority (ITA) SAS incubator, the chairman of the council, Ali Daud, on behalf of McDonalds, agreed to sponsor the membership of 13 SMEs for one year.

During the past year, the OABC held its first-ever speed networking event, which was attended by over 80 individuals and representatives of 60 companies. OABC will host its second speed networking program soon, promising to surpass the success of the first gathering.

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