Writing by Ali Adnan Haider Darwishenhttps://alizaabi.om/writing/Essays on AI, technology and business in Oman.Building a company group under my grandfather's namehttps://alizaabi.om/writing/family-business/a-group-under-my-grandfathers-name/https://alizaabi.om/writing/family-business/a-group-under-my-grandfathers-name/Why BHD Group, founded in 1894, carries my grandfather's name, how it grew from one print shop, and what next-generation Gulf founders can take from it.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000How AI agents help run a real business in Omanhttps://alizaabi.om/writing/stack/ai-agents-in-a-real-business/https://alizaabi.om/writing/stack/ai-agents-in-a-real-business/What AI agents actually do at BHD Group today, from customer messages to quotes and print files, and the rules that keep them safe.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000Why some institutions in Oman need AI that stays on-premiseshttps://alizaabi.om/writing/ai-oman/ai-that-stays-on-premises/https://alizaabi.om/writing/ai-oman/ai-that-stays-on-premises/Shared cloud AI does not fit every institution. When AI must run inside the building, and what to write down before you buy it.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000Board KPIs that a board can actually usehttps://alizaabi.om/writing/strategy/board-kpis-a-board-can-use/https://alizaabi.om/writing/strategy/board-kpis-a-board-can-use/Most board scorecards have too many KPIs and too few decisions. A simple test for each KPI, from strategic planning and board work in Oman.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000Building arabian.ceo: a sourced record of Arab business leadershttps://alizaabi.om/writing/projects/building-arabian-ceo/https://alizaabi.om/writing/projects/building-arabian-ceo/What arabian.ceo is: a bilingual platform of executive profiles, companies, leadership moves and lists across the Arab world, part of BHD Group.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000Building Cardify: business cards for a whole team in Omanhttps://alizaabi.om/writing/projects/building-cardify/https://alizaabi.om/writing/projects/building-cardify/Why BHD Group built Cardify in Muscat, and what it does: bilingual digital and printed cards, QR codes, wallet passes and scan analytics.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000Building Dardasha, a shared WhatsApp inbox from Muscathttps://alizaabi.om/writing/projects/building-dardasha/https://alizaabi.om/writing/projects/building-dardasha/Why BHD Group built Dardasha, its WhatsApp business platform run from Muscat, what it does, and the trade-off we accepted.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000Building Jamiya: an app for the family savings circlehttps://alizaabi.om/writing/projects/building-jamiya/https://alizaabi.om/writing/projects/building-jamiya/Why we built Jamiya at jamiya.om, and what it does: a turn schedule, payment records and a private link for every member of a savings circle.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000Building Mithaq, board software in Arabic and Englishhttps://alizaabi.om/writing/projects/building-mithaq/https://alizaabi.om/writing/projects/building-mithaq/Why BHD Group built Mithaq, a bilingual board governance product that keeps board papers, decisions and actions in one place.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000Building Splitty, a group expense app in 52 languageshttps://alizaabi.om/writing/projects/building-splitty/https://alizaabi.om/writing/projects/building-splitty/How BHD Group built Splitty, a trip and group expense app with a shared kitty, 52 languages, any currency, and apps on iPhone and Android.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000What economic research at the Central Bank of Oman taught mehttps://alizaabi.om/writing/career/central-bank-of-oman/https://alizaabi.om/writing/career/central-bank-of-oman/Lessons from six months of economics research at the Central Bank of Oman in 2017, and how they shape my strategy work.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000Co-founding Hosn, AI that stays inside the institutionhttps://alizaabi.om/writing/projects/co-founding-hosn/https://alizaabi.om/writing/projects/co-founding-hosn/Why I co-founded Hosn with Mohammed Al-Adawi, and how Hosn deploys AI at the customer's own site in Oman.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000Cups made in Oman: CupsByAA and Cups Factoryhttps://alizaabi.om/writing/projects/cups-made-in-oman/https://alizaabi.om/writing/projects/cups-made-in-oman/How CupsByAA and Cups Factory sell custom printed paper cups made in Muscat, on the BHD Printing & Designing machines in Al Seeb.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000What a board secretary does, from my seat at DataOmhttps://alizaabi.om/writing/career/dataom-board-secretary/https://alizaabi.om/writing/career/dataom-board-secretary/I have served as Secretary to the Board of DataOm, ITHCA Group's submarine cable company, since October 2023. This is what the role involves.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000My education: from The Sultan's School to a doctoratehttps://alizaabi.om/writing/career/education-sultans-school-to-doctorate/https://alizaabi.om/writing/career/education-sultans-school-to-doctorate/How my studies ran from the IB Diploma in Muscat to Brunel University London and a doctorate at UCLan, with my certificates.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000Bringing robotic process automation to Oman at EYhttps://alizaabi.om/writing/career/ey-bringing-rpa-to-oman/https://alizaabi.om/writing/career/ey-bringing-rpa-to-oman/What I learned in business development at EY in Oman from 2017 to 2019, when I helped bring robotic process automation (RPA) to the Omani market.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000The FBCG Next Generation Award, and what it meant to mehttps://alizaabi.om/writing/career/fbcg-next-generation-award/https://alizaabi.om/writing/career/fbcg-next-generation-award/In November 2025 I became the first Omani to win the Family Business Council Gulf Next Generation Award, listed for BHD Printing and Designing.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000From 43 sectors to 8: how Oman chose where to investhttps://alizaabi.om/writing/vision-2040/from-43-sectors-to-8/https://alizaabi.om/writing/vision-2040/from-43-sectors-to-8/What it takes to narrow a national investment strategy from 43 sectors to 8, from someone who worked on it at the Oman Vision 2040 Office.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000Haider Darwish (1894 to 1969), the name behind BHDhttps://alizaabi.om/writing/family/haider-darwish-1894-1969/https://alizaabi.om/writing/family/haider-darwish-1894-1969/Haider Darwish was a Muscat merchant, born in 1894 and died in Bahrain in 1969. BHD Group, Bin Haider Darwish, carries his name.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000Building the Invest in Oman centre at Vision 2040https://alizaabi.om/writing/career/invest-in-oman-centre/https://alizaabi.om/writing/career/invest-in-oman-centre/What I did as Head of Business Environment at the Oman Vision 2040 Unit from 2021 to 2023, and what the work taught me.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000Business planning at Oman Aviation Grouphttps://alizaabi.om/writing/career/oman-aviation-group/https://alizaabi.om/writing/career/oman-aviation-group/My time as Specialist Business Planner at Oman Aviation Group, Dec 2019 to Mar 2021: planning that raised operational efficiency by 15%.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000Key accounts at Oman Broadband: what four years taught mehttps://alizaabi.om/writing/career/oman-broadband-key-accounts/https://alizaabi.om/writing/career/oman-broadband-key-accounts/Ali Adnan Haider Darwish on his years as Senior Key Account Manager at Oman Broadband, March 2021 to January 2025, and a 20% rise in retention.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000Serving on the board of the Oman Fencing Committeehttps://alizaabi.om/writing/career/oman-fencing-committee/https://alizaabi.om/writing/career/oman-fencing-committee/I have been a board member of the Oman Fencing Committee, the national body for fencing in Oman, since 2023. This is what board service in sport involves.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000Paper & Pen and Q+: two products from one ERP enginehttps://alizaabi.om/writing/projects/paper-and-pen-and-qplus/https://alizaabi.om/writing/projects/paper-and-pen-and-qplus/How Paper & Pen, a free cloud ERP, and Q+, a business system for service shops, grew from the ERP that runs BHD Group.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000My first job: Product Specialist at Reckitt Benckiserhttps://alizaabi.om/writing/career/reckitt-first-job/https://alizaabi.om/writing/career/reckitt-first-job/What six months as a Product Specialist at Reckitt Benckiser in 2017 taught me about packaging, sustainability and selling to real customers.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000What strategic planning at a sovereign tech fund involveshttps://alizaabi.om/writing/career/strategic-planning-at-ithca/https://alizaabi.om/writing/career/strategic-planning-at-ithca/I have led strategic planning at ITHCA Group since February 2025. What the role covers, in general terms, from public facts only.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000What running a print shop in Muscat teaches about businesshttps://alizaabi.om/writing/print-oman/what-a-print-shop-teaches/https://alizaabi.om/writing/print-oman/what-a-print-shop-teaches/Lessons from BHD Printing and Designing in Muscat on deadlines, cash flow, suppliers and customers that apply to any business in Oman.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000Why we built our own ERP instead of buying onehttps://alizaabi.om/writing/building/why-we-built-our-own-erp/https://alizaabi.om/writing/building/why-we-built-our-own-erp/Why BHD Group built its own ERP for an Omani business, what it costs to do that, and when building is the wrong choice.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000