Kunooz Oman Holding continues to transition from strength to strength across its mining, quarrying, and logistics projects. We speak to CEO, Naif Al Awaid, about the company’s guiding leadership philosophy and culture of care and improvement.
UNEARTHING OMAN’S TREASURE
The Middle East is home to a titanic mining industry that is continuously evolving and growing into a key producer and supplier of bulk products and metals to pan-continental sectors.
Located within this vast region, the Sultanate of Oman (Oman) is an Arab nation found on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula.
Holding a strategically important position at the mouth of the Arabian Gulf, the nation is bordered by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Yemen, and shares marine borders with Iran and Pakistan.
From the late 17th century, Oman was a powerful empire, historically vying with Portugal and Great Britain for influence in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean.
At its apex in the 19th century, Omani influence and control extended across the Strait of Hormuz to Iran and modern-day Pakistan, spanning as far south as Zanzibar, today part of Tanzania.
At present, mining is among the industries forecasted to drive Oman’s future growth in the non-hydrocarbon gas sector and burgeoning financial prosperity.
Within this vast sector, Kunooz Oman Holding (KOH) is an established and respected company engaged in the mining of minerals and resources.
Its name in Arabic translates to “treasure”, in reference to precious metals and stones found under the earth, whilst also citing the broader mining industry, which digs out mineral treasures from deep below the ground’s surface.
As Group CEO at KOH, Naif Al Awaid brings over 26 years of experience in the logistics, energy power generation, high-tech, and port ops, and engineering industries.
The company was incorporated in January 2014, following the consolidation of five subsidiaries and two associates in the mining, quarrying, transportation, and construction materials sectors.
“Our current strategy has involved ramping up and optimising our operations and balance sheet, identifying new opportunities and acquisition targets in order to become a key player in the mining space,” Al Awaid introduces.
GUIDING LEADERSHIP
For KOH, the company’s leadership philosophy acts as a guiding light and provides insight into the key perspectives transporting the whole organisation and its unwavering team spirit to a new horizon of opportunities and success.
This shared philosophy enables clear decision-making in the face of complex situations, empowering the team to achieve the intended results.
“We must be consistent in our performance and apply best practices to create a culture of change and improvement,” Al Awaid tells us.
Inspiration and motivation are also key tools that KOH looks to employ across every facet of the business.
“Additionally, we are focused on transformational leadership while maintaining our Omani culture and values within the communities where we work.
“We do this by increasing local content and aim to increase in-country value that impacts our environment and main assets positively in order to achieve the optimal objective where safety, people, processes, and growth are developed simultaneously,” he adds.
Furthermore, KOH’s strategy involves setting clear goals and enacting a vision where it sets regular, clear objectives with timelines to achieve its overarching mission and vision.
“Creating healthy environments is one of the key factors for work-life balance, and safety has also been a priority for KOH and our people. We celebrate wins, acknowledge and reward our team’s achievements, and boost morale while encouraging continuous efforts towards our goals.”
As well as this, the company focuses on consistent communication, and listens to ideas, feedback, or concerns, whilst a two-way flow of information ensures everyone feels involved in the business.
“We stand on our success; by rewarding and celebrating, we identify where we can develop, improve, and bring consistency and growth to our teams and processes,” Al Awaid shares.
PRIORITISING EMPLOYEE WELL-BEING
To date, KOH has always prioritised the well-being of its people.
The company aims to guarantee safety, health, security, and a positive working environment as top priorities for taking care of its team.
“As responsible employees, we have implemented a rigorous risk assessment process and aligned all risk mitigation and precautionary measures to achieve our safety parameters,” Al Awaid sets out.
“KOH celebrates safety days on an annual basis across all its subsidiaries, and we have also taken proactive measures in noise and dust control for areas where we operate, alongside offering medical insurance for all our staff and their families,” he affirms.
KOH adheres to all local labour requirements and working hours standards, in addition to implementing flexible schedules and other initiatives that encourage its employees to work in a friendly, optimal environment.
“We promote a healthy work-life balance through flexible schedules and leave policies, as we believe that a company’s commitment to employee well-being is an ongoing journey, and KOH continues to evolve its practices to support its workforce and stakeholders.”
“We promote a healthy work-life balance through flexible schedules and leave policies, as we believe that a company’s commitment to employee well-being is an ongoing journey, and KOH continues to evolve its practices to support its workforce and stakeholders”
Naif Al Awaid, CEO, Kunooz Oman Holding
EFFICIENCY AND ENHANCEMENT
Looking ahead, KOH strives to place safety first for both its stakeholders and the communities in which it works.
“Given the fast-paced nature of the mining and quarrying industry, I believe each business has its own situations, culture, and difficulties to contend with. However, there are many common challenges for mining companies in Oman, but we need to focus on important topics such as safety,” Al Awaid confirms.
Alongside this, KOH looks to enhance its people development and talent management strategy, combined with the acceleration of business growth, in-country value, and net zero solutions.
KOH’s current aims include an ongoing plan to efficiently allocate capital to its operating companies to encourage individual and synergistic development.
“We will continue to drive the business forward by optimising our human resources; we strive to empower a top management team with sufficient flexibility to enhance operational efficiencies.
“In relation to this, we foresee extensive collaboration through partnerships found within our holding structure,” Al Awaid finishes.
KUNOOZ OMAN HOLDING PARTNER
