Muscat – Sheikh Suhail Salim Bahwan, one of Oman’s most influential business leaders and a central figure in the nation’s economic transformation, passed away on Sunday. He was the founder and Chairman of the Suhail Bahwan Group, today one of the sultanate’s largest and most diversified conglomerates. His death marks the loss of a pioneering […]

Muscat – Sheikh Suhail Salim Bahwan, one of Oman’s most influential business leaders and a central figure in the nation’s economic transformation, passed away on Sunday. He was the founder and Chairman of the Suhail Bahwan Group, today one of the sultanate’s largest and most diversified conglomerates. His death marks the loss of a pioneering entrepreneur whose work helped define Oman’s modern private sector.

Born in Sur, Sheikh Suhail grew up in a large family that relied on seasonal dhow voyages. As a young boy, he and his late brother, Sheikh Saud, accompanied their father on trading trips, exchanging dates and fish for rice, sugar and basic goods. These early journeys exposed him to global commerce and taught him the art of negotiation long before Oman’s era of modernisation.

He attended primary school in India but returned after sixth grade. His father entrusted him with a dhow, and he continued trading along the coast. The emergence of modern shipping and shifting trade routes limited opportunities, but his resourcefulness stood out. He borrowed from Indian merchants to trade gold between India and Oman, often making only modest margins. By the 1960s he was sailing frequently to Muscat, where the prospects were better. In 1965, the brothers moved permanently to the capital and opened a shop in Muttrah Souq selling fishing nets and later expanding into tools and building materials.

Sheikh Suhail immersed himself in Muscat’s small but growing business community. He cultivated contacts with shopkeepers, business owners and officials, building relationships that would shape his future. His first major breakthrough came in 1968 with the dealership for Japan’s Seiko, followed by Toshiba.

The accession of the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said in 1970 opened Oman to international trade and development. Seizing the moment, the Bahwan brothers pursued larger ventures. When Toyota sought a partner in the Gulf, they competed against regional rivals, including Dubai’s Al Futtaim family. To demonstrate financial strength, the brothers entered a partnership with Omani businessman Omar Zawawi in 1974 to establish Amiantit Oman, generating enough capital within a year to support their bid.

Although Al Futtaim remained the frontrunner, Sultan Qaboos directed that an Omani company should represent Toyota. The decision proved decisive. In 1975, the Bahwans secured the coveted dealership, and Toyota vehicles began arriving at Muscat’s port. Within three years, Toyota became Oman’s market leader.

The following decade saw rapid expansion. The group added Ford and several major equipment manufacturers to its portfolio, launched a travel agency with international airline partnerships, entered car rental services, and undertook major construction and oil and gas projects. It later acquired a company specialising in desalination and power plants. By the late 1980s, the group’s workforce exceeded 4,000, with interests spanning telecommunications, logistics, electronics and food supplies.

As the business grew, the brothers gradually focused on different areas. Sheikh Suhail concentrated on construction, engineering and newer industrial segments, while Sheikh Saud oversaw the dominant automotive business. In 2002, the brothers agreed to formally separate their operations. Sheikh Saud retained Toyota under the newly formed Saud Bahwan Group, while the Suhail Bahwan Group kept Seiko, Toshiba and later secured distribution rights for Nissan and BMW.

Sheikh Saud passed away in 2008 at the age of 68.

Beyond business, Sheikh Suhail was widely respected for his philanthropy. His contributions to education, healthcare and social welfare touched communities across the sultanate, reflecting a belief that national progress must include broad social development.

Sheikh Suhail Bahwan leaves behind a legacy woven into Oman’s economic rise – a story of determination, resilience and vision that helped shape the country’s private-sector landscape over six decades. His passing closes an important chapter in Oman’s commercial history, but his influence endures in the institutions he built and the opportunities he helped create.

(With inputs from suhailbahwangroup.com)