The finalists for the Ernst & Young (E&Y) Omani Entrepreneur of the Year and the Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year awards have been announced following the submission of 18 applications.
In the Entrepreneur of the Year category, Dr Mohammed al Barwani, Samir Fancy, Hussain al Lawati and Maqbool al Saleh have been shortlisted. Finalists in the Emerging Entrepreneur category comprise Jinesh Dharamsey and Abdulla al Hadi, with Nabeel al Riyami and Mohamed al Marjabi listed as a joint entry.
The winners will be announced on March 17 at a function at the Al Bustan Palace Hotel - with the Omani Entrepreneur of the Year to be nominated to the E&Y World Entrepreneur of the Year finals in Monte Carlo in June.
Sridhar Sridharan, managing partner, E&Y, added that the event will help put Omani entrepreneurs 'on the world stage' and showcase what the sultanate has to offer.
"The Monte Carlo event is a flagship event. The world's press, venture capitalists and investment bankers will all be present. It is not about winning or losing, it is about the exposure and the opportunity to meet these people."
Rajeev Singh, partner, E&Y, told Muscat Daily that successful entrepreneurs in Oman have been able to combine the ability to identify markets needs with sharp business acumen in order to grow their respective companies. "If you want to succeed as a business, you need to think like a businessman. You need to think how financiers look at it and how you convert a need from people or a gap in society into a business idea. That covers elements of management and, most importantly, money."
Singh added that for entrepreneurship to flourish in Oman, the government should create an encouraging environment - but it needs to be led by the private sector.
© Muscat Daily 2012
