CEO TALK: From hands-on work to high office

Observer

04-05-2025

MUSCAT, MAY 4
In the southern city of Salalah, long before titles and accolades, a young boy sat behind the counter of his father's shop, textbooks open, mind focused, and hands occasionally fixing bicycles.
That boy — now Dr Ahmed bin Mohsin al Ghassani, Chairman of Dhofar Municipality — would rise to become one of Oman's most respected public servants. His journey, grounded in discipline and shaped by learning, is more than a success story — it is a case study in leadership, perseverance, and national vision.
From an early age, Dr Al Ghassani learned the realities of responsibility. By the fourth grade, he was working after school in his family's shop — a small but formative environment.
There, he developed the habits that would stay with him for life: structure, reliability, and respect for effort.
By the sixth grade, he was assembling bicycles, not as a pastime but out of necessity. His evenings were devoted to studies at the shop, often until 9 pm, forming a routine of resilience that quietly defined his future.
His secondary education years were a masterclass in commitment.
His day began with regular school and continued with intensive sessions at the British Council and the French Institute. After dusk, he attended Quran memorisation classes until 10 pm.
This intense schedule led many around him to assume he would eventually collapse from exhaustion — but instead, he rose.
In his final year, he made the strategic decision to pause language studies and focus entirely on the General Secondary Certificate, securing a place on the prestigious Sultan Qaboos Scholarship Programme to study civil engineering abroad.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Sultan Qaboos University in 1993. However, academic achievement was never his endpoint — it was his platform.
In 1998, he left for the UK to pursue advanced studies. He obtained a Master's degree in Structural Engineering from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) in 1999.
Determined to deepen his expertise, he continued to Loughborough University, earning a PhD in Construction Management in 2003.
His doctoral research focused on the integration of knowledge management into structural design processes — a pioneering approach for its time.
Returning to Oman, Dr Al Ghassani chose not to enter administrative roles immediately. He instead resumed teaching in the department he helped establish at Salalah Technical College.
His belief in the power of education led him to stay close to students, listen to their challenges, and shape an academic culture rooted in openness and inclusion.
Over time, he would serve in various senior academic positions, including Dean of the Higher College of Technology, and later at the College of Banking and Financial Studies, where he aligned academic offerings with real-world market needs, championed student innovation, and ensured graduates were job-ready.
In 2018, Dr Al Ghassani was appointed CEO of the Public Authority for Small and Medium Enterprise Development (Riyada). It was a pivotal period — Oman was seeking new engines for economic diversification, and youth entrepreneurship was a central pillar.
At Riyada, he led with clarity and decisiveness: reworking the institutional structure, introducing targeted funding and support mechanisms, and fostering a startup ecosystem driven by Omani talent.
His leadership reasserted a simple truth: a single idea, when nurtured, can evolve into a national asset.
In October 2019, Dr Al Ghassani was appointed Chairman of Dhofar Municipality.
The transition from academic reformer to urban executive was significant, yet seamless. In Dhofar — a region of rich culture and growing infrastructure needs — he faced the challenge of balancing development with preservation.
He led projects that included the revitalisation of traditional markets, the redevelopment of coastal promenades, modern flood prevention infrastructure, and enhanced wastewater systems. His administration adopted a development model that was as strategic as it was sensitive — combining modern urban planning with cultural and environmental stewardship.
His leadership came into national focus in 2024, when he achieved three major distinctions:
• Best Leader in Government Digital Excellence — a title awarded in the inaugural edition of Oman's national digital performance awards.
• Best Digital Transformation Team — won by Dhofar Municipality under his chairmanship, recognising the integration of digital tools in public service delivery.
• 'Excellent' Rating in Institutional Performance Evaluation — the highest recognition in the national governance review for that year.
Yet Dr Al-Ghassani is quick to redirect praise. 'These are not individual achievements,' he often says. 'They reflect teamwork, accountability, and a shared culture of results.'
Across all his roles, four core values stand out in his leadership approach:1. A relentless commitment to lifelong learning — both personal and institutional.
2. Community engagement — ensuring planning is informed by those it serves.
3. Cultural realism — blending progress with respect for heritage.
4. Results-focused governance — where policies are measured not by announcements but by public impact.
Perhaps most importantly, Dr Al Ghassani has never lost sight of the next generation. In speeches and interviews, he consistently addresses young Omanis with conviction:
'Opportunities do not come by accident. They are built through intention and hard work. Every young person must believe that the country is counting on them.
The future begins the moment you choose to develop yourself.'
His story — from the back room of a shop to the forefront of urban transformation — is not defined by luck or shortcuts. It is a testament to structure, vision, and commitment over time. In an era that often favours visibility over value, Dr Ahmed Al-Ghassani's life is a reminder that leadership is not found in noise, but in quiet, consistent service.
For young Omanis, his path is both a mirror and a map: a reflection of what is possible — and a direction toward what can still be achieved.