Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Balushi

Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Balushi is the Group Chief Executive Officer of Oman International Development and Investment Company SAOG (Ominvest), a position he has held since 2014. With over 39 years of professional experience in the financial services sector, Al Balushi possesses a profound understanding of both regional and global market dynamics, particularly in the Middle Eastern financial and investment landscape.

Al Balushi holds a Master of Science Degree in Finance from the University of Strathclyde in the United Kingdom and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (UK), demonstrating his strong academic foundation and professional credentials in financial management and banking.

Before joining Ominvest, Abdulaziz served as CEO of Ahli Bank SAOG from 2007 to 2014, where he demonstrated exceptional leadership by transforming a single-product mortgage bank into a comprehensive commercial bank. Under his tenure, Ahli Bank achieved significant growth, expanding to over US$3 billion in assets and more than US$450 million in equity. His innovative approach to banking and strategic vision earned him widespread recognition in the Arab banking sector.

His achievements at Ahli Bank did not go unnoticed. In November 2012, Forbes Middle East named him the "Second Best CEO in the Arab Banking World," a testament to his exceptional leadership and strategic acumen. In April 2019, he received the prestigious "CEO of the Year" Award at the Oman Banking & Finance Awards, further solidifying his reputation as one of the region's most accomplished financial executives.

Since joining Ominvest in 2014, Al Balushi has worked closely with the Board of Directors and Management Team to transform the company through strategic initiatives. He successfully led the implementation of a new organizational vision, culture, structure, and policies. One of his most significant achievements was orchestrating the merger between Ominvest and ONIC Holding, creating Oman's largest publicly listed investment company. Under his leadership, Ominvest's net profit more than doubled from RO 14.5 million in fiscal year 2014 to RO 30.5 million in 2018, demonstrating his ability to create sustainable value for stakeholders.

Abdulaziz Al Balushi's investment philosophy centers on long-term value creation rather than speculative trading. He has consistently emphasized that Ominvest operates as "a long-term value investor and not to engage in speculative trading in the stock markets." This patient capital approach allows the firm to support portfolio companies through various business cycles and strategic transitions.

The core investment thesis is "to support and enable our portfolio companies to thrive and grow." Al Balushi emphasizes working closely with portfolio companies' boards and management teams to identify, screen, and capitalize on growth opportunities. Ominvest provides strategic direction and helps companies develop comprehensive roadmaps that create value for all stakeholders, not just shareholders.

Sector Focus:

Geographic Focus:

Investment Approach: Al Balushi seeks companies with strong fundamentals, defensible market positions, and experienced management teams. He emphasizes the importance of governance, transparency, and alignment of interests between investors and management. The firm takes an active ownership approach, participating on boards and providing strategic guidance while respecting management autonomy.

• Banking & Financial Services: Major investments in Oman Arab Bank (51% stake), Bank Muscat (15% stake), and Ahli Bank
• Insurance: National Life & General Insurance Company (flagship subsidiary commanding the largest market share in Oman), Al Ahlia Insurance Company, and Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance (Middle East)
• Leasing & Finance: National Finance Company and Oman Orix Leasing Company (merged to create Oman's largest leasing company)
• Real Estate: Oman Real Estate Investments and Services SAOC, Salalah Resorts SAOC
• Industrial: Oman Chlorine, National Detergent Company, Modern Steel Mills
• Food & Consumer: National Biscuit Industries
• Primary: Sultanate of Oman
• Regional expansion: GCC countries (UAE, Bahrain)
• Select international investments in the Middle East region