Date: February 7, 2017
Winners of the Zubair Small Enterprises Centre (Zubair SEC)’s Direct Support Programme for the year 2017 have been announced at a ceremony held under the patronage of Rashad Muhammad Al Zubair, Chairman of The Zubair Corporation.
Khalid Bin Mohammed Al Zubair, Managing Director of The Zubair Corporation, board members of The Zubair Corporation, distinguished guests including ambassadors, representatives of national initiatives supporting entrepreneurship, executives of leading companies, and members of Zubair SEC and SME owners attended the event.
This is the fourth edition of the Direct Support Programme organised by Zubair SEC, the social responsibility initiative of The Zubair Corporation. The programme has been providing support and mentorship to high-potential young entrepreneurs and business owners for the last three years.
This year’s ten winners of the Direct Support Programme are:
- Jamela Hamed Said Al Seyabi (Wardat Al Wadi Al Wataniya); Samail, A’Dakhliyah
- Khadija Salim Said Al Mahrooqi (Qudra); Al Buraimi (for the Social Entrepreneurship seat)
- Zaima Saif Nasser Al Salami (Grandma Mixes); Barka, Al Batinah South
- Sultan Salim Rashid Al Sha’ei (Al Diwan Dates); Nizwa, A’Dakhliyah
- Majed Saud Ahmed Al Battashi (Recycling Service); Ibra, A’Sharqiyah North (for the Ominvest-supported seat)
- Mansoor Nasser Al Rahbi (Abraj Al Zahira Investment); Muscat
- Nadia Ali Said Al Ajmi (Dar Al Khyout Fashion); Sohar, Al Batinah North
- Nasser Saleh Hamed Al Broumi (Al Broumi National Enterprises); Izki, A’Dakhliyah
- Nasser Abdullah Nasser Al Mawali (Al Jood Mil); Wadi Al Maawal, Al Batinah South
- Noora Salmeen Bait Mabruk (Al Baji Sweet); Salalah, Dhofar
Ominvest, reputable leading investment group in the region, is adopting one of the winning seats this year as part of a wider scope of collaboration that has been signed between Zubair SEC and Ominvest last year. This comes in line with Zubair SEC’s mission to engage leading companies in the efforts of SMEs development and bridging between large and small enterprises. The company have joined efforts with Zubair SECin the selection process for their winning seat, making sure that the winner’s business domain aligns with the investment group’s focus areas so they can extend all possible support especially in business development, on top of the financial grant the winner will receive.
For the second year in a row, Zubair SEC demonstrates efforts to promote social impact through business by dedicating one of the ten winners seats for a social enterprise, won this year by Khadija Salim Said Al Mahrooq founder of Qudra. Social impact and social entrepreneurship have been key areas of focus for Zubair SEC, as the Centre has been raising awareness and building capacity towards sustainable social impact of business since the first year of its establishment.
Rashad Muhammad Al Zubair, Chairman of The Zubair Corporation in his opening remarks said, “For everyone at The Zubair Corporation and specifically the Zubair SEC team we are very proud of these ambitious and hardworking entrepreneurs. We are confident that when today’s Omani youth are provided with the needed support, guidance, training and a suitable environment they will innovate and assume greater responsibility towards their own successful future, and contribute to their families and the continued development march of our beautiful nation. Since the Programme was first launched in 2014, the total number of graduates accepted into the Direct Support Program has reached 28 individual entrepreneurs and businesses. Most of those members have gone on to achieve admirable success and sustainability in the market. This is attributed to the ambition, patience, hard work and determination demonstrated by each and every one of them since they first joined the Centre.” He added, “Today, as we celebrate by announcing the new DSP winners, Zubair SEC is committed to providing support to entrepreneurs and owners of small enterprises, and to be the hub for aspiring Omani entrepreneurs. By providing vital support and an enabling eco-system for talented entrepreneurs, Zubair SEC plays an important role in the continued diversification of our national economy. The Centre is also making commendable progress in coordinating efforts between various private and public organisations to support a culture of entrepreneurship in Oman.”
He concluded by saying: “I would like to thank all our partners, especially Ominvest, the Zubair SEC team of consultants, volunteers, and management team for their highly appreciated efforts and contributions. And much gratitude is extended to Zubair SECmembers, entrepreneurs and owners of small enterprises, for being the essence of our success and the main benchmark against which we measure our progress and the mere existence of the Centre.”
Expressing happiness over collaborating with Zubair SEC, Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Balushi, Group Chief Executive Officer, Ominvest said, “As one of the leading investment groups, we have been keen on social investment through our different operations. Sustainable socio-economic development is pivotal for all of us in this country; as such, supporting and enabling promising small enterprises aligns directly with our social responsibility strategy. When we considered who to partner with in this domain, Zubair SECstood out as the initiative of choice. Part of our wider collaboration with Zubair SEC has been to adopt one of the winners from the fourth round of the Direct Support Programme in 2017. We have together selected a project that would also capitalise on the capacity and business specialties within our group, and our social impact areas of preference. Accordingly, the winning project for this year specialises in waste management and promotes environmental responsibility through its operations”.
Al Balushi added, “We are delighted to extend all support possible to the new winner Majed Al Battashi, and we look forward to further cooperation and collaboration with Zubair SECtowards contributing to the development and progress of SMEs in the Sultanate”.
Sharing insight about his experience with Zubair SEC, Adel Suwaid Al Abri, Founder of UniBoats and winner of DSP 2015 said, “At a critical stage of my business journey I had some serious challenges to face, but with the outstanding support of Zubair SEC in managing risk and crisis, we managed to overcome those difficulties successfully. The profound and diversified experience and expertise of the Zubair SEC team of advisors was the source for their ability to see beyond difficulties that I saw as impossible to overcome. With their calm and confident approach, they managed to identify opportunities and areas for progress and development in my project and guide me on the right track towards a more stable and sustainable business future. Above all, I believe the most important impact of Zubair SEC is the moral support and assurance one receives, knowing that there is a sincere and caring group of people who have our back and work eagerly for our own benefit and advantage. This support is priceless!”
Zubair SEC’s Direct Support Programme winners for 2017 went through a multiple-stage evaluation. Once applications were evaluated, applicants went through interviews and their projects were reviewed several times.
The number of applicants for Zubair SEC’s Direct Support Programme this year grew up from 214 for last year’s round to 300 for this year. A total number of 75 qualified for the first stage of interviews and 43 for second stage of interviews. The final short listed projects included 17 out of which 10 were selected as winners.
Sarah Khalid Lashkoo, Assistant Vice President-Compliance Affairs at Ominvest and Professor Dr Justin Jansin, Professor of Corporate Entrepreneurship at Erasmus Research Institute of Management and Rotterdam School of Management Netherlands shared their insights at the event. A presentation was also made on the Direct Support Programme by Zubair SEC team.
It may be recalled that with an aim to familiarise and introduce the Direct Support Programme to Omani entrepreneurs and owners of small businesses, Zubair SEC’s team of advisors organised a 10-day road-show across the Sultanate in October and November 2016. The successful road-show was received very well at all wilayats that Zubair SEC’s team of advisors toured through.
With the newly announced winners, the Direct Support Programme has so far signed up 38 winners in its 4 editions. The Direct Support Programme which provides support and mentorship to high-potential novice entrepreneurs and young business owners was launched in 2014 by Zubair SEC, as its first programme to start shortly after establishment.
Zubair SEC’s Direct Support Programme is considered one of the most important competitive programmes in the field of entrepreneurship in the Sultanate. The programme aims to create a spirit of positive competition between Zubair SEC’s members, aiming to earn a package of valuable advisory and business development services as well as a financial grant that is spent through a set working plan implemented in cooperation between the Centre and the winning members.