Al Kamil Power Company gets new CEO

13/05/2015 01:32 AST

GDF Suez has appointed Yaqoub Harbi Salem al Harthi (pictured) as the first Omani CEO for Al Kamil Power Company, an independent power generation company established to build, own and operate the 277 MW power plant, located approximately 25 km north-west of Al Kamil, in the central Sharqiyah Governorate of Oman.

A graduate from the Sultan Qaboos University department of mechanical engineering, Yaqoub began his career as trainee engineer in the Oman National Electricity Company (ONEC) at the Rusail Power Plant (RPP). Omanisation remains one of the government's highest priorities, not only to ensure sustainable employment for citizens, but also to gradually reduce dependence on expatriates in search of self-reliant human resources capital.

With a presence of 20 years in the Sultanate, GDF SUEZ has developed a strong relationship with Oman as an investor, a partner and a corporate citizen.

Yaqoub says, "The opportunity provided by GDF SUEZ allowed me to broaden my managerial skills in the arena of human resource development and in finance.

The experience I gained in Al Kamil Construction & Services (AKCS), the operations & maintenance company of Al Kamil Power paved the road for me to take up yet another new challenge - I was very proud to be named CEO of the Al Kamil Power Company this year."

Kamil Power Company currently stands at 70 per cent, and he strongly believes that the citizens employed have proved themselves as a vital players, performing excellently throughout all levels of the organisation.

Johan Van Kerrebroeck, executive vice-president and country manager Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia for GDF SUEZ Energy International, said, "However, as the activities develop and mature, the quality of the local labour market has grown at the same pace. And indeed, we have witnessed impressive growth in the calibre of Omani candidates over the past years in the Sultanate."

Navneet Kaskebar, the newly appointed CEO of Al Suwadi Power Company (owner of the Barka 3 power plant and 30 per cent owned by GDF SUEZ) reveals that the utility sector is in synchrony with the Omanisation drive undertaken.

Oman Daily Observer