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Cracking the glass ceiling
Two women from the Sultanate have made it to the recently published list of
the fifty most powerful Arab women by Forbes Arabia. OER meets these women who
have been winning laurels for the country
 When a correspondent from Forbes Arabia got in touch with Manal Abdwani in early
2008 with the request to fill a questionnaire for the listing, she took the
exercise quite casually. “I did not think I stood a chance of making it to the
list,” she says candidly. She was pleasantly surprised to be ranked as the 20th
most powerful Arab woman. Forbes ranks Arab women based on their contribution to
the companies they are associated with. Manal being the chairman of Oman Flour
Mills and Mazoon Distribution Company was judged on the performance of these two
companies. The article singles out Oman Flour Mill’s ability to maintain prices
in the face of rising inflation as a major achievement. “We have to control the
price of our products to minimise the impact on customers without infringing on
the commercial spirit of the company,” says Manal.
Mazoon Distribution Company is one of the companies that have come out of the
unbundling of the electricity sector and it distributes power to close 200,000
users in South Batinah and the Sharkiah region. Manal is working on a number of
initiatives to improve efficiencies at the distribution company. Talking about
the ranking she says, “I am happy to accept this recognition as it reflects the
growing role and prominence of women in the Sultanate. There has been a focused
drive on encouraging women to take on important responsibilities both in the
public and private sector. Women have risen because of their merit and not
because of any positive discrimination.”
 Lujaina Darwish is no stranger to the Forbes list. Having been ranked No. 13 in
2005 and No. 42 in 2004 she makes it to the Forbes list for the third time this
year at No. 21. Says Lujaina, “I am proud to represent Oman on the list; this
honour mirrors the role that women play in their respective countries.”
Though the list is dominated by professionals from Saudi Arabia and the UAE due
to the larger turnover of their companies, women from the Sultanate have
consistently been making it to the list every year. “I see a big difference in
the quality of women joining the workforce as they are better educated and more
confident,” says Lujaina.
Talking of women in important positions, there are broadly two types of
developments taking place in the Sultanate, one is the ascendancy of women from
business families. There are a number of examples of women taking over prominent
roles in their businesses and bringing about seminal changes in the way things
are done. The second are professionals in the government and private sectors who
are making a mark. Lujaina represents the former as she has been setting new
benchmarks in the industry since she joined her family business in 1994. “In my
role as the head of the human resources, Omanisation and legal department I have
tried out a strategic and coherent approach to the management of our
organisation’s most valued asset – our employees who individually and
collectively contribute to the objectives of the business,” she says. A
multifaceted women, Lujaina was a member of the Majlis A’Shura, the consultative
council of Oman from 2001-2007 (October).
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June-
2008 |
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Cover Story |
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An upward spiral
Runaway inflation is not just impacting the profits of
companies but is also creating an atmosphere of uncertainty about the future.
Writes Mayank Singh
more... |
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Other Headlines |
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Growing tourism opportunities
Oman has a lot going for it as a tourism destination – pristine natural beauty
and authentic Arab culture. All it needs to do is ramp up infrastructure to be
on par with the rest of the region |
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An Experienced Hand
Murray Sims, CEO, National Bank of Oman speaks to Mayank Singh about his plans,
the sub prime crisis and a host of other issues |
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Real estate boom in the Middle
East
The real estate market in the Middle East is on a roll with buyers from all over
the world heading to own a piece of this golden region. A look at what makes
this region
tick |
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Leading from the Frontlines
Retired Colonel G. Gopalakrishnan is keen on bringing Oman to the forefront of
IT and communication technology writes Nathalia Jones |
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Leadership principles
In The Swordless Samurai, translated from the original Japanese, Tim
Clark has given due importance to the simplicity of expression of the leadership
concepts in Hideyoshi’s original writes Ganesh Sundararaman |
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The Arab world climbs up the
growth curve
The important factor to note is that the Arab economy managed to grow due to
domestic demand in favoUr of investment |
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Linking economic progress between
Qatar, Bahrain
With the economies of Qatar and Bahrain heading towards raPid development, the
proposed 40-km causeway between the two countries will keep the momentum going |
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Peace, Progress and Prosperity
Tension-free status is a prerequisite
for progress. Where there is peace, there is prosperity. |
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Putting ‘Tiger’ wins it all on the
turf
A look at what makes Tiger Woods a global Golf icon |
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Courage of conviction
The Sultanate’s tradition of enterprise dates back over centuries, we profile
six entrepreneurs who are keeping that spirit alive |
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Parking funds
The growing incidence of foreign participation on the MSM has started to have a
bearing on the stock market. Mayank Singh reports |
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GCC bourses upbeat in May
May proved to be good for GCC stock exchanges, with all markets ending on a
positive note. The overall growth was due to the excellent Q1 figures from
companies writes Harikumar Varma |
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The path to innovation –driving
brand growth
While making line extensions part of their new and
improved brand-building strategies, companies need to adopt a dual approach that
takes into consideration the relationship between trade partners and consumers
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Cracking the glass ceiling
Two women from the Sultanate have made it to the recently published list of the
fifty most powerful Arab women by Forbes Arabia. OER meets these women who have
been winning laurels for the country |
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Supporting ‘The Family’
Historical data shows that most family businesses disintegrate by the third
generation. LODH has survived seven generations. Pasha Bakhtiar, MD of LODH
shares some home truths with OER’s Ramesh Kumar |
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Russia – The ultimate frontier
market
With the dream team of President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin now
firmly in control of economic policy at the Kremlin, Moscow could be one of the
world’s best performing emerging markets in the next year.
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Sohar Aluminium,The picture so far
As Sohar Aluminium prepares for the final stages of construction and
commissioning our journalist Jessica Brookes and photographer Rajesh Burman
record the progress from ground zero |
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Creating value out of waste
Oman Wastewater Services Company is setting up a
modern wastewater system in Muscat Governorate with an investment of RO1.2
billion. Akshay Bhatnagar takes a look at the progress made so far on the
project, which is expected to be completed by 2017 |
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Keep your auto parts in top gear
this summer
Oman is gearing up for the mercury meltdown and everywhere air-conditioners are
working over time to provide cooling respite from the swelter. What respite can
we give our vehicles from the harsh, unforgiving heat? Read on to find out… |
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Direct Interface
Online trading provides a secure and convenient platform for investors to trade
directly on the stock market. Mayank Singh reports |
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Bye, bye, Your Excellency!
South Africa’s ambassador to Oman is exiting but he has set in motion a lot of
bilateral initiatives which is putting Oman upfront in South Africa’s worldview |
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Regulars |
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