In a Royal Decree issued on Wednesday [January 1, 2025], His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik appointed Ahmed Al Musalmi as the Governor of the Central Bank of Oman with the rank of Minister.

Mr. Al Musalmi brings over two decades of extensive experience in the banking and financial sector. Since May 2018, he has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Sohar International (SI), where he has been instrumental in driving the bank’s remarkable transformation and exponential growth. Under his visionary leadership, SI has emerged as the fastest-growing financial institution in the Sultanate of Oman, garnering over 70 accolades from local, regional, and international entities.

A distinguished leader, he has been recognised with several prestigious awards, including the “CEO of the Year – Oman” award in 2024 and the “CEO of the Year – Banking & Leadership” accolade at the Le Fonti International Awards 2023 Middle East. These recognitions mark his fifth “CEO of the Year” honour, comprising four national and one regional award.

Mr. Al Musalmi’s professional expertise also spans a broad spectrum of banking and financial services, including Wholesale Banking, Capital Markets, Retail Banking, Wealth Management, Trade Finance, Risk Management, and Strategy Development. He also possesses significant functional knowledge in Operations Management, Information Technology, Human Resources, Finance, and Business Planning.

He holds an MBA with distinction from the University of Bedfordshire, UK, and is a graduate of Harvard Business School. He is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Financial Management and has completed advanced executive programs at IMD Business School in Switzerland and Stanford Graduate School of Business in the United States.

His appointment is expected to strengthen the Central Bank of Oman’s strategic leadership and contribute to the nation’s financial stability and growth.