Click image to view larger version

For entrepreneur Ahmed Saleh Baabood, organising exhibitions provides ample scope to connect intellect and glamour
Nazia Khan

If he had followed his initial career plan, Ahmed Saleh Baabood, managing director of Oman International Trade and Exhibitions (OITE), might have ended up working in the government. Says Baabood, who won Entrepreneur of the Year at the Oman Awards for Excellence this year, "After I got my Masters in economics and business development in the UK, my idea was to work for social development by joining the government." He got involved with OITE's operations because of his brother Abdullah Baabood, the chairman of the company. It was part of a work experience stint in the family businesses, which include Qalhat Services, Baabood LLC and Al Haq Services, among others. But the OITE concept turned out to be the closest to this entrepreneur's heart. "Organising exhibitions combines intellect and glamour. The business is intellectual because all progress is dependent on the knowledge that you have. The glamour quotient comes from the different people that you get to interact with, as part of the work. There is constant opportunity to exercise creativity and innovation. And, OITE's work is in line with the development programmes undertaken by the government. So I am doing what I always wanted to do."

Circle of contact
Development is a recurring theme in Baabood's conversation. He views organising exhibitions as contributing directly to the economy. "We have trade events that are
specific to separate economic sectors. So investors and foreign capital from all over the world come to Oman." How that capital is transferred widely is what makes the business fascinating. "From the visa issue to the taxi drivers to the hotels and the shopping malls, they are all affected by the exhibition industry. It brings high-spending tourists to the country. If a company takes up a stand at our exhibition, they may pay us RO1000 for it. But they will spend RO10000 on the stand decoration. People get employed at the stand. Somebody makes money by creating posters. Somebody makes money by clearing and forwarding the products. There's so much interconnection. And in the process, there's also the transfer and sharing of technology. Our exhibitions take what is available, what is happening across the globe, to the people in Oman."

Baabood, who took over as OITE's managing director in 1997, describes the introduction of new technology as a key driver of markets. The way he sees it, when market players experience new technology, they adapt it to their liking. And when they adapt it, quality across sectors improves. To explain further, he gives the example of COMEX, the IT and telecom event, now in its 16th year. "Seven years ago at COMEX, we were talking about PC penetration, which means a PC in every house, which is a part of economic development. Now, we are actively looking into technology deve-
lopment. That's the graph through which we are trying to develop the industry."

The information lead
OITE's exhibition oeuvre consists of events concerned with education, travel and tourism, environment, training, jobs, property and investment, among other areas. For Baabood, they are all related to developing the mind. "Exhibitions communicate directly and effectively. That is why they attract people." Baabood understands, however, that the communication process can take time. The Gulf Higher Education Exhibition (GHEDEX) started small. But last year 150 universities participated. "We have had GHEDEX in Salalah as well. All this just goes to upgrade the level of qualifications available in the country."

Meanwhile, qualifications are also what Baabood encourages staffers at OITE to pursue. "Our business is very sensitive to external factors. Anything can disturb it. Our people have to be very aware of what is happening around the world. One small political development somewhere could lead to the cancellation of an exhibition or it could lead to a huge expansion in its scale. I am constantly reading the papers and surfing the news online. Because it is the information that we possess which keep us in business."

Ask Baabood about the challenges he faces as an exhibition organiser and he answers with a smile, "Everything is a challenge. It's not an easy task to organise an event. To start with, you're not selling a product. You're selling a concept. You have to be confident and knowledgeable. You have to have all the information and all the support from the authorities to be able to go talk about your country and to bring in investors. Oman itself is competing with so many neighbouring countries and venues. So to bring companies to Oman for exhibitions year after year is a challenge, but it is one I enjoy."

Team technique
Baabood says that a large part of the business is research. OITE's research cell for new and existing projects studies everything from the government's five-year plans to international policies to understand their short-term and long-term implications and effects. "It is only through research that you can estimate present and future requirements and prepare a platform for them." His office, where the writing board is crammed with exhibition concepts and the tables are heaped with a host of different newspapers, show that this managing director practices what he preaches.

Baabood is high on ambition, but he's also high on method. OITE will soon receive its ISO 9001-2000 certification, part of its endeavour to match local needs with global resources. He's also travelled recently to Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Syria in search of new opportunities for business. And in the quest for more growth, profitability and success, there's also plenty of room for more challenges. "Business-to-business events are a lot more difficult than business-to-consumer events. When we succeed in those ventures, then we really succeed."

He views most successes, including the recent Oman Award for Excellence, as the result of team efforts. "I see it more as an award for OITE as an organisation as opposed to me as an individual."

Meanwhile, when he's not working, the self-described 'regular guy' finds that the simple things in life make for a successful and happy feeling. "I enjoy spending time with my kids and just hanging out at my favourite coffee shop." But the business that he is passionate about is never far from his mind. "The work contributes to the nation's development. That's the greatest satisfaction it provides," he concludes.