Global investors see Oman as growth hub

International investors are increasingly viewing Oman as a strategic hub for growth in renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, tourism and innovation, industry executives said during a Future Fund Oman (FFO) investment showcase panel in Muscat. Panellists including Rashid al Hashmi, Senior Manager of Investments at the Future Fund Oman, Stefano Sardo, Managing Director of Certares, Mark Jiang Pengjing, Deputy General Manager of Orion Solar, Dr Bir Kapoor, CEO and Deputy Managing Director of Gujarat Fluorochemicals Limited (GFL), and Jalal al Hadhrami, General Manager of Terminal 11, outlined the reasons behind major recent investment decisions and expansion plans in the Sultanate.

“The Fund is not merely participating in projects. It is creating industrial ecosystems and attracting long-term partners who share Oman’s vision for sustainable economic growth,” Rashid al Hashmi said, describing the FFO’s evolving role as both capital provider and strategic catalyst.

Investment rationale and major projects

Speakers highlighted a convergence of factors that drew their firms to Oman: political stability, a business-friendly environment, significant infrastructure upgrades and alignment with the country’s Vision 2040 agenda. Several panellists pointed to concrete projects that illustrate the scale of commitment.

• Orion Solar has committed to build what it described as one of the largest solar manufacturing facilities in the region at Sohar Freezone. Mark Jiang Pengjing said the project will include a six-gigawatt solar-cell manufacturing facility and a planned three-gigawatt solar-module plant using advanced automated production technologies. “The project is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs and generate substantial local procurement opportunities while contributing to Oman’s renewable energy ambitions,” he said, adding the company will recruit and train Omani graduates to support knowledge transfer and workforce localisation.
• Gujarat Fluorochemicals Limited expanded its initial plans after engagement with the FFO, according to Dr Bir Kapoor, citing Oman’s ambition to develop a complete clean-energy value chain. GFL specialises in advanced battery materials for electric vehicles and energy storage systems. “When we first came to Oman, our plans were much smaller. After engaging with FFO and understanding its vision for developing an integrated industrial ecosystem, we significantly expanded our investment plans,” Kapoor said.
• Certares, a global tourism-focused investment firm, identified Oman as a standout tourism opportunity. Stefano Sardo pointed to the country’s natural attractions and infrastructure investments in airports and roads as a foundation. “What makes Oman truly different is its ability to preserve its culture, traditions and values while remaining open to the world,” Sardo said. “Visitors do not simply come to visit Oman; they come to discover it.”
• Panel participation also included Jalal al Hadhrami of Terminal 11, reflecting investor interest in logistics and transport infrastructure as enablers of broader industrial growth.

Outlook

Panellists expect FFO-backed investments to mobilise substantial private-sector and foreign capital, generate thousands of jobs and establish new value chains across renewables, battery materials, tourism and innovation. The combined message from global investors was that Oman’s infrastructure readiness, strategic geographic position and the Fund’s catalytic role have positioned the Sultanate to attract long-term, strategic partners and accelerate industrial diversification in the years ahead.