BankDhofar strengthens ties with entrepreneurs at Salalah SME Growth Forum
BankDhofar has strengthened its engagement with Oman’s entrepreneurial community by hosting the SME Growth Forum in Salalah, under the auspices of His Highness Sayyid Marwan bin Turki Al Said, Governor of Dhofar, and in the presence of dignitaries, officials from BankDhofar and other institutions, and entrepreneurs.
The forum provided a platform for BankDhofar to engage directly with entrepreneurs, deepen relationships and gain a better understanding of their evolving business needs. It also showcased the bank’s range of banking, financing and digital solutions for SMEs, reinforcing its commitment to supporting the sector’s growth and enhancing its contribution to Oman’s economy in line with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040.
Ahmed bin Said Al Ibrahim, Chief Retail & Government Banking officer at BankDhofar, said SMEs represent a fundamental pillar of Oman’s economic transformation and will play a crucial role in driving diversification and creating new opportunities for sustainable growth.
“SMEs represent one of the fundamental pillars upon which much depends to bring about a qualitative shift in the national economy,” Al Ibrahim said, adding that BankDhofar accords the sector particular importance within its strategy to promote entrepreneurship and empower SME owners.
Adnan bin Mohsen Al Balushi, Head of SME Banking (Numo), highlighted the department’s portfolio of products and services designed to address the needs of SMEs, recognizing the sector as an important engine of innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth.
“During the forum, we focused on building genuine partnerships with entrepreneurs and understanding their needs. This, in turn, contributes to developing banking, financing, and digital services that meet their daily requirements at every stage of their projects,” Al Balushi said.
The forum also featured presentations aimed at equipping entrepreneurs with practical insights to strengthen and expand their businesses. Hashar bin Khamis Al Mandhari, CEO of Al Alama Marketing, delivered a presentation on the fundamentals of marketing in the digital age, exploring digital channels, the importance of building a strong brand identity, and strategies for managing and scaling SMEs to reach regional and international markets.
Abdullah Al Ansi, founder of the Sikka platform, shared his entrepreneurial journey, highlighting the challenges he encountered, how he overcame them and the promotional strategies he adopted to build and market his business.
The event concluded with an interactive session that enabled entrepreneurs to engage directly with BankDhofar representatives, raise questions and share feedback and suggestions. The dialogue is expected to help inform the continued development of banking and financial solutions tailored to the evolving requirements of Oman’s SME community.
BankDhofar is among Oman’s leading banks, with a branch network of more than 145 branches across the Sultanate. Through its extensive network and range of specialized banking services, the bank serves diverse customer segments while continuing to expand solutions tailored to entrepreneurs and SMEs.
