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A heady mix of distinction, competition and entertainment marked the eighth Oman Awards for Excellence
BusinessToday reports

Soon after the eighth Oman Awards for Excellence got underway, the light projection on stage displayed an arrow hitting its target. As the sultanate’s corporate stars gathered to celebrate competition and excellence, the symbolism was apt. May 13 at the Al Bustan Palace Hotel’s Majan Ballroom saw finalists from diverse companies aiming for seven awards, each in recognition for their achie-vements in the year 2005. The stage was set for a strong contest but there was plenty of fun along the way. The gala dinner at the event, interspersed with the entertainment featuring the act of Haurel and Lardy (a spoof on the original, Laurel and Hardy), offered enterta-inment and excitement throughout. There were lots of laughs as the duo sang, performed card tricks, and played jokes on the guests. But for the nominees, judged on various parameters marking excellence, the eager wait was for the flame-shaped awards. Originality and profitability, as well as employment generation and advancements were the factors that set apart the finalists through the judging process. And it was only logical then that ambition and effort formed the focus of the evening.

And the winners had their sights set high, like Ahmed Saleh Baabood, managing director, OITE, who won Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Accepting the award, which was sponsored by Omantel, Baabood said, “This award gives us the courage to achieve the goals that we have set for ourselves. We would like to be the best in the world.�

That the vision extended across sectors was proven, when the award for Public Service Initiative, sponsored by the Omani Centre for Investment Promotion & Export Development, was announced. The Ministry of Manpower and the Ministry of Sports Affairs shared honour here, scoring double impact for the public sector. For the Ministry of Sports Affairs, the award meant appreciation, in particular, for its efforts to involve the private sector in its oper-ations. Explains Mohammed al Sheedi, director general of administrative and financial affairs at the ministry, who accepted the award, “We want the private sector involved not just in provi-ding sports sponsorships but also in sharing the broader aims and objectives of the ministry. We are very happy to receive this award, which focuses on effectiveness and efficiency.�

Abdullah al Hattali, head of follow-up Omanisation department at the Ministry of Manpower, endorsed the fact that the nominated organisations went all out to understand the elements of competition. Says Hattali, who accepted the award, “We put in a lot of effort to understand the criteria and requirements for the award. That’s always important to win.�

Meanwhile, for the judges who assessed the winners, the range and quality of the entries made for some tough choices. Says Antonio Zamora, director of operations - Oman, and general manager, Al Bustan Palace Hotel, “All the companies �from those with enormous history and resources to those just making their mark �performed very well within the given framework. I wouldn’t fault any of them.�

As the finalists�presentations were revealed for each category, the favourites emerged as well. Cheers and applause punctuated the announcements, even as the presentations themselves provided an interesting mix of facts and faces. The different companies and their strategies were splashed on giant screens on either side of the ballroom, giving an insider’s view into what makes them tick. Gautam Broota, general manager, Zahara Tours, who picked up the Oman Air-sponsored award for tourism, made it a point to thank the families of employees as well. “This success is a recognition for all our efforts, which go into enriching the experiences of tourists to Oman,�he said.

Things evolved beyond success, however, when BankMuscat walked away with the People Development Award for the third year running. The joy at the BankMuscat table at the hat trick was palpable but there was a surprise element even after the award was announced. After he accepted the award from Saleh Zakwani, publisher of TheWeek, Sulaiman al Harthy, deputy general manager, consumer banking (Commercial Banking Group) announced that BankMuscat would be opting out of the competition next year. “Our win shows that we really look after our people. But we have decided to withdraw because we would like to see others winning here in the future.�

Victory was about the future at the newly instituted Environmental Award as well. Tony Kinsman, CEO, Sohar Aluminium, which sponsored the award, hoped to see his organisation compete in the category in the years to come. Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) picked up the award, accepted by Faisal al Lamki, head of the environmental section in the corporate health, safety and environment department. Says John Malcolm, MD, PDO, “It inspires us to continuously improve our environmental perf-ormance. I wish to thank all PDO employees and contractors who make our ISO-certified environmental management system work.�/p>

For Oman Cables Industry (OCI), nomina-ted for the third time, winning the Exporter of the Year Award was the culmination of a lot of planned effort. Says Mohammed al Lawati, assistant general manager, OCI, “We were fina-lists last year. Our win this year shows how much more we have grown. A key element of our growth has been our ability to think international. We are very happy that all our hard work has paid off.�

Hard work paying off brought the house down when Matrah Cold Stores (MCS) won the big one �the Flame of Excellence Award. Members of the vocal and demonstrative team leaped from their tables when their name was announced, power walked all the way to the stage, kissed the trophy, and just generally capt-ured the pure elation that makes victory sweet. Says Dominic Myers, general manager, MCS, “This has always been an extremely competitive award. That is why we are so proud to have won it.�Myers seemed to speak for all winners when he said, “The hardest bit is defending the award. That’s what we should be prepared for next year.�

As the guests made their exit, exhilarated and entertained, the wait had already begun for the awards next year. For those who won this year, there would be expectations to meet. For those who missed, there would be the motivation to push themselves harder. And for everyone who got a taste of excellence this time around, there would be the promise of bigger and better things.