Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre Announces the Appointment of Said Salim Al-Shanfari as Chief Executive Officer

by Shrutee K/DNS

Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN) the developer of the iconic Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (OCEC) project, which is the new landmark venue and business hub in Oman, has appointed through the Board of Directors of OCEC company Mr. Said Salim Said Al-Shanfari as CEO to lead the organisation through its next phase of innovation and growth.

Mr. Said has rich experience working in leadership roles in marketing and communications across Oman as well as in the region. He successfully completed Oman’s National CEO Program in 2017. The National CEO Program benefits individuals and corporations, preparing Oman’s brightest talent to compete in the global marketplace and aims to build the next generation of Omani leaders. With his leadership skills and experience from the CEO program, Al-Shanfari aims to promote Oman and OCEC as a hub for regional and international conferences and exhibitions along with live events, as well as showcasing the natural beauty and essence of Oman.

Al-Shanfari brings with him a wealth of experience as he progressed through various management positions during his eight-year tenure in Ooredoo Oman as Director of Business Marketing and most recently as the General Manager of Marketing Communication and Performance at Omantel.

On Said’s appointment, H.E Mohsin Bin Khamis Al Balushi, Adviser at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Chairman of OCEC company, a subsidiary of Omran, stated, “Oman is now on the world map as one of the top tourism destinations, and we are confident in appointing Said Al Shanfari to lead OCEC towards its vision of introducing Oman as a world-class destination for business events. We strive to continue our success in bringing international conventions whilst simultaneously ensuring we remain focused on delivering the very best service to our customers, delegates and stakeholders. A big part of Said’s role is to accelerate our ability to bring innovative products to our customers.”

“We are delighted to have Said Salim Al-Shanfari on board as the new CEO for OCEC. His experience in various leadership roles will help us to elevate OCEC even further to new heights and will help us to align with the Sultanate’s 2040 tourism strategy. I am fully confident that Said Salim and the team will create a sustainable development model that ensures the welfare of Oman and its citizens” said Peter Walichnowski, CEO of Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN).  

Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre is at an exponential growth stage with new achievements and developments in the building project. OCEC has successfully won 22 International and Regional Congresses and is eager to host these prestigious events in the near future. Some of the most awaited events that the Centre looks forward to are the 2018 International Road Union Congress, the 2020 World Cancer Congress, and the 2020 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Congress. The Centre recently finished hosting the 2018 World Heavy Oil Congress and it proved to be a great success. Architecturally advanced in design and capability with 55 meeting rooms, 22,000 square metres of column-free exhibition halls, and massive ballrooms, the Centre has successfully been awarded with the LEED Certification for its cost-saving and sustainable environment. OCEC is now all set to launch the state-of-the-art lyric style theatre with 3200 seats that will cater to world-class entertainers and performers.

About OCEC

The Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre is located in its own fully integrated precinct only four kilometres from Muscat International Airport.  The design of the Centre ensures a flow of the meeting spaces to suit the most discerning conference and exhibition organisers. It also incorporates expansive concourse areas to enable ease of large delegations with floor to ceiling windows overlooking landscaped gardens and water features.

The Centre features two tiered auditoriums to seat 3,200 and 450, while the five exhibition halls feature 22,396 square metres of column-free exhibition space. Hall 1 acts as a multi-purpose space for plenary sessions, concerts, performances and gala dinners on a larger scale. Halls 1 & 2 combined can seat over 10,000 seated in theatre-style.

The Centre also includes an additional 20 meeting rooms for 25-360 delegates, a Grand Ballroom to seat up to 1,200 guests, a Junior Ballroom to seat up to 540 guests for a banquet, 10 hospitality suites, and a VIP Pavilion. In total the Centre offers over 55 meeting space options plus a multi-storey car park with a capacity for 4,000 vehicles.

The Precinct provides the infrastructure necessary to host successful international, regional and local events and is there for the enjoyment of delegates, visitors and the local community. The precinct includes a JW Marriott Hotel (five star) linked to the Convention Centre, Crowne Plaza Hotel (four star). A business park, surrounded by a nature reserve, which is a haven for Oman’s exotic birdlife, together with parklands and a wadi (valley) park, are also part of this picturesque precinct.

About AEG Ogden

AEG Ogden is part of AEG Facilities of the United States, a division of AEG, the world’s leading sports and live entertainment company. AEG Ogden manages venues throughout the Asia Pacific and Middle East, including convention and exhibition centres in Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Kuala Lumpur, Oman, and the ICC Sydney; Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane; and arenas including the Brisbane Entertainment Centre and adjacent Sports Centre, Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena, the Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Perth Arena, and Dubai Arena (opening April 2019). AEG Ogden is also the owner of National Basketball League (NBL) team, the Sydney Kings. More information aegogden.com. In addition, AEG Facilities operates the Los Angeles Convention Centre, Hawaii Convention Centre, and Puerto Rico Convention Centre. More information aegworldwide.com

About OMRAN

Oman Tourism Development Company SAOC (Omran) drives the investment, growth and development of the rapidly growing tourism sector in the Sultanate of Oman. The company is the master developer of major tourism, heritage, urban and mixed-use projects, delivering some of nation’s most visionary and iconic destinations. As the leading executive government arm for tourism development, Omran has a proven track record of delivering tourism and related projects to a world-class standard, due to our core philosophy of sustainability, transparency and partnering with renowned regional and international investors.