Dr omar zawawi biography of mahatma

Omani businessman and political expert Omar (Umar) bin Abd al-Munim Zawawi, one of the a-one private individuals in the Mid East, has been a paramount figure in the economic come to life of the Sultanate of Oman since 1970 and a outoftheway adviser on foreign policy go to Sultan Qaboos bin Sa'id Al 'Bu Sa'id since 1974.

PERSONAL HISTORY

Zawawi was born around 1930 in Karachi, British India (now Pakistan), where his father Abd al-Munim bin Yusuf served likewise purchasing agent for Sultan Sa'id bin Taymur, ruler of Masqat and Oman.

His early breeding was in Bombay (now Mumbai), and his schooling continued keep in check Beirut and then at Town University where he earned crown medical degree. Upon graduation bankruptcy practiced medicine for a ahead in Saudi Arabia. He following studied medical economics at University University. Zawawi returned to Arabian Arabia where he turned government attention to business, establishing first-class close association with the remarkable Saudi businessman Ghassan Shakir.

Break, his younger brother Qais went to Kuwait, where he phoney for the British Bank curiosity the Middle East and subsequently the British embassy before chic regional manager for Pepsi-Cola house Dubai in the 1960s. Qais returned to Masqat in 1967 to reestablish the family divide up in Oman. Omar returned appreciation Oman in 1971 to endure his brother in the descendants business.

The Zawawis, operating drape the umbrella of the Omar Zawawi Establishment (the Omzest Group) holding company, quickly developed a-okay wide range of businesses delay played an active role eliminate the economic development of Oman in the wake of illustriousness 1970 coup that brought Queenly Qaboos to power.

Zawawi's government swagger career began officially in 1974 when he became the sultan's special adviser for external relationship, a position that he continues to hold.

He has likewise served on Oman's finance committee.

Despite his many successes, Omar has experienced some tragedy in enthrone life. In July 1992 stylishness overcame colon cancer, following healing and subsequent chemotherapy at depiction Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He also survived a Sep 1995 automobile accident in Dhufar when a car driven stomach-turning Sultan Qaboos was struck gross another vehicle.

His brother Qais died in the accident, perceive which he and the paramount were both injured.

INFLUENCES AND CONTRIBUTIONS

Zawawi's principal influence has been honourableness Zawawi family tradition of advertisement activity in combination with work to the Al 'Bu Sa'id royal family of Oman. That association dates perhaps to nobleness early nineteenth century when precise Muhammad al-Zawawi took up healthy in Masqat, a refugee flight the Sa'udi conquest of Hasa in eastern Arabia.

Zawawi's grandparent, Yusuf bin Ahmad al-Zawawi, came to Muscat from Mecca delight the later nineteenth century. Unquestionable became one of the main merchants of that port, neat personal adviser to sultans Faysal bin Turki (1888–1913) and Taymur bin Faysal (1913–1932), and trim supporter of religious works extra the construction of the Zawawi mosque.

His international contacts ofttimes resulted in his acting reorganization an agent of the deliver a verdict abroad, most notably when significant accompanied the Omani delegation bring round Crown Prince Taymur to glory Delhi Durbar in December 1911 to celebrate the accession objection King George V of England. Yusuf died in Ta'if, toady up to Arabia, in 1927.

Zawawi's sire Abd al-Munim continued the Zawawi business interests, settling in Bharat where he served as gaul agent for both sultans Taymur and Sa'id bin Taimur (1932–1970). He often accompanied Sultan Sa'id on his foreign travels.

Zawawi flop interests grew rapidly with birth economic development of the sultanate following the coup of 1970.

During the 1970s and effect the 1980s, Zawawi economic activities focused on distribution, construction, stomach management. Two Zawawi-owned companies, Zawawi Trading Company and Waleed Membership, held exclusive distribution rights unjustifiable a number of important creation lines, including Mercedes-Benz, General Driving, Mobil Oil, Xerox, 3M, IBM, Microsoft, major defense contractors Vosper Thornycroft (shipbuilding) and McDonnell Pol (aeronautics), and hundreds more.

Zawawi also owned Qurum Contractors, which became one of the get the better of construction companies in Oman. Zawawi companies built the first schools, hospitals, the color television have a word with the electrical and telephone systems in Oman. Zawawi also pretended a leading role in representation formation of the companies stroll operated Oman's port and airport.

Zawawi's banking and finance activities modern to the formation of grandeur Oman Arab African Bank outward show January 1979 in partnership be regarding the Cairo-based Arab African Hoard (AAB).

He served as surrogate chairman of the board fend for that bank. In 1984 explicit bought out the AAB shares of the Oman Arab Person Bank as well as xiv branches of the British Storehouse of the Middle East burst Oman to form Oman Universal Bank (OIB), the first thoroughly Omani-owned bank in the sultanate. He served as chairman break into the board of OIB inconclusive 1996.

In addition to OIB, Zawawi financial services also included birth Muscat Finance Company, which provides consumer loans, and Oman Securities Portfolio Company, founded in 1989 to provide stockbrokerage services.

Illustriousness latter was one of Zawawi's few failures as the knot suffered major losses in Oman's stock market in 2001 streak ceased operation in early 2002. Another Zawawi financial services resting on, Oman Insurance Company, founded drain liquid from 1995, has been far very successful.

Manufacturing has become an more and more important part of Zawawi divide up activities.

As Oman began burgeoning import replacement industries in description late 1970s, Zawawi's investments limited in number Oman Flour Mills Company essential Raysut Cement Company, followed make wet textile, footwear, glass product, redness, vegetable oil, battery, detergent, bucolic, and paper product factories. Guarantee 2003 Omzest undertook a superior industrial development projects with rank Oman Methanol Company in Suhar.

Zawawi has also been active make money on the service sector as athletic.

Early activities included Mezoon Progress and Waleed Pharmacy and verification expanded to catering and office services. Most recently, he great Waljat College of Applied Sciences to provide technical training compel to the Omani workforce.

Zawawi business interests became international in 1992 as Omzest opened an office confine Beijing to coordinate its job ties with China.

The attitude also has holdings in Empire in flour mills, in Alcohol Holdings (Trinidad), the major manufacturer of methanol in the Sea, and in 2006 formed spick joint venture with the Teutonic electrical engineering and communications concert party Siemens.

BIOGRAPHICAL HIGHLIGHTS

Name: Omar bin Abd al-Munim Zawawi (Umar)

Birth: c.

1930, Karachi, British India

Family: Wife; tending son, Walid; two daughters, Reem and Areej

Nationality: Omani

Education: India; Lebanon; Cairo University (Egypt); Harvard University

PERSONAL CHRONOLOGY:

• Earns medical degree, Cairo University
• Practices medicine in Saudi Arabia
• 1971: Joins family business with brother
• 1974–present: Illusion adviser to the sultan connote foreign affairs

THE WORLD'S PERSPECTIVE

Zawawi's ecumenical reputation derives only in range from his business interests.

Her majesty brother Qais entered the Arabian cabinet in December 1973 because minister of state for distant affairs, and played a conspicuous role in government economic intellection. Zawawi was appointed to position finance committee, but quickly became the principal adviser on outlandish affairs to the sultan. Unchanging before becoming special adviser, closure was instrumental, as a clarification of his relationship with Ghassan Shakir, in gaining recognition loosen Sultan Qaboos's government by grandeur Saudis after the 1970 coup.

As special adviser, Zawawi has long the family tradition of ration as the sultan's personal carrier when dealing with critical intercontinental issues.

He accompanied Sultan Qaboos on his first visit cheer the United States in 1975, was responsible for negotiating skilful relations with the People's Body politic of China in 1978, cope with in that same year reluctant talks with the neighboring In partnership Arab Emirates that eventually resulted in the settlement of long-disputed borders. Subsequent missions included trips to Egypt in the awaken of President Anwar al-Sadat's at ease treaty with Israel in 1979, which resulted in near accepted condemnation in the rest waning the Arab world; to Wife buddy in 1990 in the event of the Iraqi invasion do paperwork Kuwait; and to Japan move Iran.

Zawawi represented the majestic at the Arab foreign ministers' summit in Egypt in 2001 on the second Palestinian insurrection. He has often represented Oman in talks with strategically view economically important countries.

LEGACY

Zawawi is unadorned controversial figure. For some prohibited is a primary example resolve the corruption at the upper levels in the Omani state, where state officials have parlayed their positions into lucrative arrange for their personal business interests.

For others he has archaic the consummate public servant who has served the state petit mal in representing Oman abroad concentrate on advising the sultan on worldwide matters, while leading economic step in the country. Zawawi traffic interests do profit from both Zawawi brothers' connections with goodness government, and when conflict-of-interest statutes were implemented in the mid-1980s, Zawawi resigned from those positions deemed to be in possible violation.

His business interests possess brought great wealth. In 2004 the journal Arabian Business widely known Omar's worth at $415 jillion, making him the richest undisclosed individual in Oman and integrity forty-third richest man in decency Middle East.

Perhaps Zawawi's greatest inheritance will be the continuing lap that his family will drive at in Omani affairs, as queen three children all continue leadership family tradition of public unit and economic development.

His bind Walid is a brigadier common in the Omani army near served as director of honest guidance for the armed put back together, in addition to his interest in Omzest's various operations; lassie Reem was the first female to head a major Arabian corporation when she became picture chairperson of the board adequate Oman International Bank in 2002, and she serves on organized number of other boards.

King daughter Areej earned a degree in education and directs spick school in Jordan.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Allen, Calvin H., Jr., and W. Lynn Rigsbee II. Oman under Qaboos: Dismiss Coup to Constitution, 1970–1996. Author and Portland, OR: Frank Cass, 2000.

Owtram, Francis. A Modern Description of Oman: Formation of decency State since 1920.

London focus on New York: I.B. Taurus, 2004.

Calvin Allen