Duqm Summer Series to tackle changing business world

The upcoming 2026 Duqm Summer Series (DSS), scheduled from August 23 to 25 at the Crowne Plaza Duqm, will center on the human element driving economic value from investments in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm, Oman. This three-day event is designed to examine the transformative developments shaping how companies operate and grow.

The series will open with a session on "Intelligent Machines," exploring the profound impact of artificial intelligence and robotics on today's workplace. The following evening, "Leading Without a Playbook" will delve into how executives navigate decision-making amidst tariffs, geopolitical tensions, and incomplete information, where traditional precedents offer little guidance. The event will conclude with "The Business of Culture," which will analyze how a company's internal culture influences customer experience and its lasting legacy.

These discussions are particularly relevant given Oman's educational landscape, where women constituted 61% of higher education graduates in 2025. Many are entering a job market increasingly influenced by AI, where skills obsolescence is rapid and new types of work are emerging. Oman's non-oil sector is expanding, with non-oil activities generating OMR29.1 billion ($75.4 billion) in 2025, including OMR4 billion ($10.4 billion) from manufacturing. Non-oil activity saw a 5.9% increase in Q1 2026, widening career choices but also exposing graduates to industries undergoing rapid change.

Hanan Al Siyabi, Section Head for Tourism & Lifestyle at SEZAD, highlighted the broad consequences of AI, stating, “AI is changing who does the work and what employers value. Effects are being felt in recruitment and career progression.” She emphasized the DSS's role as a platform for honest discussion about these evolving career paths, especially for women entering the workforce. The series will also address external pressures like trade tariffs and geopolitical tensions that disrupt supply chains and create market uncertainty, forcing executives to make critical decisions with limited foresight.

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AI is changing who does the work and what employers value. Effects are being felt in recruitment and career progression. Women starting work today will face choices many established leaders didn’t meet at the same stage of their careers. We want the DSS to be a place where those experiences are discussed honestly and openly, including the occasions when there was no ready-made answer.