The Oman American Business Center, in collaboration with multinational law firm Dentons, announced several interactive training workshops for Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) at TheLoungeOman starting December 9^th 2015.
Titled ‘Setting up a Business in Oman’, the series has been designed to empower local start-ups and encourage entrepreneurialism. Over 50 SME owners from across the Sultanate are expected to attend the seminars, which will run until February 2016.
Dentons Associate Yasser Taqi will organize the first workshop in the series where he will spotlight the framework governing businesses in Oman and other legal topics. A second workshop is set to be held on January 10^th 2016 and will focus on the key steps to start a business in Oman. The last workshop, which will kick-off in February 2016, will provide a detailed analysis of employment, contractual, and taxation laws as well as critical advice on dispute resolution. All workshops will be held in the Arabic language to be more accessible to a wider range of the Sultanate’s SME population.
Ali Daud, Chairman of the OABC, said, “SMEs play a crucial role in the diversification and expansion of any economy thanks to their major contribution to job creation, economic output, and the development of a healthier and more competitive private sector. In light of their vital role as seen in developed economies, it is important that SMEs in the Sultanate receive the proper counseling, training and mentoring needed to fully harness the opportunities available to them. As an organization made up of business experts and professionals from a wide range of fields, we have the necessary expertise to provide them with the proper support and know-how they need to succeed. We extend this to the SME Authority and all the SMEs in the Sultanate”.
Marla Valdez, Partner, at Dentons Oman commented: “We are honored to be working with the OABC and to be involved with such an important initiative, supporting the development of SME’s in the Sultanate.  Contributing towards the sustainable development of the Sultanate is a vital aspect of our firm’s CSR programme.”
The new seminars come as part of OABC’s renewed efforts to aid the growth of Oman’s SME sector through the development of critical skills. Last month, the Center invited SMEs and local business figures to connect at its annual Speed Networking event, where they received greater demand than anticipated.