Maryam Al Zadjali
Chairperson, Dar Al Atta’a
Art of giving
Dar al Atta’a, which had a humble beginning in 2002, is now one of the largest charitable organisations in the region. The organisation which was conceived and developed by Maryam and her team members has today become a synonym for charity in Oman. It speaks volumes about her passion to work for the underprivileged sections of the society.
Maryam has been honoured at various forums: Gulf First Festival for social work 2008, Second Gulf Festival for volunteer work 2010 and His Majesty’s Prize for volunteer work 2011. In September, 2013, Maryam led a team from Dar al Atta’a to receive the Shaikh Issa bin Ali bin Khalifa al Khalifa voluntary work awards in Bahrain. The award was received by honorary chairperson Hussain Jawad. The award was instituted to honour prominent figures in volunteering work representing 17 Arab countries and the United Nations Volunteer Programme. She shares the credit with her colleagues stating that each board member has a specific responsibility and they work hard to fulfil their duties. Dar al Atta’a is striving its best to be the link between the giver and the recipient.
Munira Abdulnabi Macki
General Manager – Human Resources and Corporate Support Division, Bank Sohar
Community developer
She is the driving force behind various philanthropic and community engagement programmes of Bank Sohar, one of the fastest growing banks in Oman. Over the years, Bank Sohar has garnered a solid reputation as having one of the most active corporate responsibility programmes amongst financial institutions in the Sultanate. Under her astute management, the HR department has managed to achieve an exceptional Omanisation rate of 90 per cent within the bank. Holder of a Bachelor’s degree in philosophy and psychology from Beirut Arab University, Lebanon, and a Master’s degree in education from Sheffield University, UK, Munira Macki began her career as a teacher and moved up to be the headmistress of a secondary school under the Ministry of Education. She held the position of the deputy director of educational activities, Ministry of Education from 1991 to 1996. She moved on to the banking industry and within a short span of time took over as the head of corporate affairs (HR, admin, CMA and compliance) at Alliance Housing Bank (Ahli Bank), prior to joining Bank Sohar.
Nada Maqbool Sulaiman
Director, Salman Corporation
Unleashing innovation
Nada opted for a massive career change when she moved from the banking sector to her family-owned business. After completing her Master’s in financial services from Glasgow, UK, she came back to Oman and joined the National Bank of Oman (NBO) where she worked as a financial analyst before she decided to make the ‘big’ move. Since Nada joined Salmanstores as a director, she has attempted to bring in several innovations such as Salmanstores Advantage Card and new advertisement concepts. The shift to a marketing position in her family business has changed both life and career dimensions for Nada.
Honourable Eng. Naashiah Al Kharusi
State Council Member
Versatile player
Naashiah Al Kharusi is a national icon in the government and telecom sector with almost 40 years of experience. She played a key role in the development of telecommunication services in the country since early 70s in establishing the first national telecommunication infrastructure. She also set up the ministerial department for telecommunication and served as a board member of GTO and Omantel. She represented Oman in the radio frequency coordination committee for the gulf countries which was set up in Bahrain which is today known as the Technical Secretariat of GCC. In ITU, she was chairing Oman from 1973 in many regional and international conferences and meetings. In the 1990s, she was elected to represent the GCC countries as a governor in Intelsat during the period of restructuring and privatisation. She also held leadership positions to restructure the telecom sector and prepare Omantel for privatisation. She was then deputed to establish TRA. During that period, she was also a board member at ITA until she retired. In 2011, she was appointed as a member of the State Council. She actively participated in several committees concerning social, economic and legal committees. In 2013, she also got appointed as a member of the Consultative Commission of the GCC Supreme Council. She is an entrepreneur since 1981 in the women’s fashion industry.
Najla Zuhair Al-Jamali
Director – Planning, Oman Oil Company
Strategic planner
She has worked in various onshore and offshore operational roles as well as managerial and consultancy positions in Africa, Europe and the Middle East at reputable companies including Vale, Schlumberger Business Consulting, IHS Energy, Shell and Petroleum Development Oman (PDO). As director of planning at Oman Oil Company, Najla contributes her extensive experience in helping shape the company’s strategic direction and plans to fulfill the company’s objectives.
Najla holds a Bachelor of Science degree with honours in mathematics with applied mathematics/mathematical physics from Imperial College, London. She also attained a Master of Science degree in financial management from the University of London, and participated in a leadership programme at INSEAD, in France.
Nasima Yahya Al Balushi
Director General of Export Development, Public Authority for Investment Promotion and Export Development (Ithraa)
Building capabilities
Nasima is an active member of a number of reputable committees including the coordination committee for OPEX and the industry and SME committees at the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Nasima has more than 11 years of experience in financial and administrative affairs. She has been focusing on the development of Oman’s export potential by enhancing interaction between government entities and Omani exporters as well as fostering the capabilities of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as part of an overarching strategy that aims to identify high-potential export markets and respective target industries.
A graduate of the Sultan Qaboos University with a Bachelor of Science degree, Nasima has furthered her professional development and cultivated her business acumen through various training programmes in strategy development and leadership, to name but a few.
Natasha Yahya Mohammed Nasib
Director and Chief Operating Officer, Yahya Group Holding LLC
Steering growth
A graduate of The Sultan’s School in Oman, Natasha pursued her education in Switzerland at Franklin University and earned a Bachelor’s in business management with a minor in French. After graduation, she worked as an intern with Costain in England. Working in Europe was quite a boost and also a pleasant surprise. She later realised that working and learning with an established European firm helped her form more of a world view. On her return to Oman, Natasha held various positions in different divisions of her father’s company, Yahya Enterprises (now Yahya Group Holding). She worked initially in Snowhite Laundry helping to steer its expansion and rapid development. As a director and COO, she is involved in all aspects of the company, from strategic planning to daily management. In 2007, Natasha was nominated by a Royal Decree to be a board member for the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This experience gave her a better understanding of the government sector and how it interacts with the private sector. In the same year, she was appointed as the head of the businesswoman forum. Natasha is currently devoting her full attention to Yahya Group Holding and its future expansion.
Neelima Vyas
Director, International Port and Free Zone Sohar
Breaking barriers
Her association with Sohar Port and Free Zone has been from almost the concept phase in various senior functions i.e. head finance and strategy, deputy chief operating officer and chief operating officer. Having worked in the infrastructure sector such as ports, shipyard and economic zones has been an interesting and enriching experience. A professional education in transport and logistics in The Netherlands and a Master’s degree from the apex centre of IMO, United Nations, provided a robust foundation to deliver with perseverance and determination. Raised in a loving family of daughters, her mission is to contribute and inspire every girl child to dare dream and achieve their dreams to greater heights. Her work and journey is a tribute to the dream of a girl child and women to rise above borders and collectively make a difference.
