We have strong support

Meet the Board & our supporters.

ABIS is extremely fortunate to have the support of two of the biggest industrial companies in the market. Sohar Aluminium & OQ are committed to supporting ABIS on its journey to becoming a beacon of quality international education in Oman.

Since January 2017 we have two shareholder companies…

In January 2017, ABIS became an independent entity jointly owned by our two shareholders . We are proud to be associated with two companies who take investing in the future of Sohar so seriously. We are grateful for their continued support and their focus on excellence above all else.

Sohar Aluminium Board Representatives

The Al Batinah International School is incredibly lucky to have a huge amount of support from the local community. Jointly owned by Sohar Aluminium and OQ, our school is led by people who are passionate about quality above all else.

Ricardo Fontes Santana

Board Member since 2023. Chief Financial Officer, Sohar Aluminium

Ricardo Fontes Santana has been the Chief Financial Officer of Sohar Aluminium Company L.L.C. since January 2023, responsible for Finance, IT and Supply Chain.

Ricardo holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the State University of Rio de Janeiro, and an MBA in Finance and Controlling from the Universidade Federal Fluminense. He is also a Kellogg School of Management’s Scholar in Executive Development Programme and Strategic Marketing Communications, certified in Investor Relations by the UK’s IR Society, and trained as a Board Member at The Corporate Governance Institute in Brazil and as a Non-Executive Director at The Corporate Governance Institute in Portugal.

During his career he held senior executive finance positions in global companies in Brazil, Australia, Singapore, and The Netherlands with diverse and multi-functional teams across multiple tax jurisdictions. He held leadership positions in global companies such as Essilor, BHP Billiton, TIM, BearingPoint Consulting, and Shell.

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Omar Al Balushi

Board Member since 2023. Casthouse & Port Manager, Sohar Aluminium

Omar AL BALUSHI joined Sohar Aluminium Company LLC (SA) in 2005, a Greenfield Aluminium smelter which is a Joint Venture between OQ Group, Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC – TAQA and Rio Tinto Alcan. Omar is a professional with more than 21 years of experience in high profile industries handling several key responsibilities that vary from managing and localising projects to running and delivering 24/7 operational production targets. Omar holds a Bachelor’s degree in information system from Sultan Qaboos University and Postgraduate (MBA program) from University of Leister UK.

At SA, he led the team to a turnaround in performance of the production line to achieve a first quartile benchmark compared with other smelters using the same technology. Currently, Omar manages the Casthouse & Port department with a team of more than 200 employees and direct contractors.

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OQ Board Representatives

The Al Batinah International School is incredibly fortunate to have a huge amount of support from the local community. Jointly owned by Sohar Aluminium and OQ, our school is lead by people who are passionate about quality above all else.

Nofal Al Saidi

Board Member since 2015. Board Chair since 2017. GMHR, OQ

Nofal has worked hard to protect the interest of ABIS and is a real friend of the school. His ‘can do’ attitude, creativity and sense of humour are great assets to the school and the Board.

Hamed Malallah Al Ajmi

Board Member since 2018. Vice President, Suhar Refinery & Aromatics, OQ

Hamed has supported the school in advising on various matters. He took upon himself to driving the solar project for the whole school. He is a strong supporter of International Baccalaureate programmes.

Supporters of ABIS

There has been a group of individuals who have supported us our through significant stages in our development who were not ABIS Board Members. We would like to acknowledge their support and contributions with gratitude.

Said Al Masoudi

Said is the CEO of Sohar Aluminium and has been a long term supporter of the school and its Mission. In February 2024, ABIS’s aquatics center was renamed as the "Al Masoudi Aquatics Center," as a tribute to Mr. Said Al Masoudi's outstanding contributions and steadfast support to ABIS throughout the years. In his capacity as the CEO of Sohar Aluminium, Mr. Al Masoudi has played an indispensable role in fostering ABIS's success and facilitating its growth benefiting the Sohar community.

Talal Hamid Al Awfi

Talal is the CEO of OQ, a company that strongly supports ABIS and its mission and vision.

Musab Al Mahruqi

Musab was Orpic's (now part of OQ) CEO during the period where the school was considering growth and expansion. It was Musab's personal support for the school which brought our ideas to reality.

Christiaan Bezeidenhout

Chris worked with the school through the period of expansion and growth. His knowledge, determination and humility were enormously important when it came to delivering the wonderful, high quality campus that we have today.

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Past Board Members

We owe a debt of gratitude to all of the individuals who served as ABIS Board Members since the school’s inception. Their vision and commitment to the school has helped us to become what we are today.

Richard Wray

Board Member 2019 - 23. OE Manager, Sohar Aluminium

Richard has supported the school in organising the hiring of the new Head of School and was also a parent at school. He is a strong supporter of International Baccalaureate programmes.

Jerry Van Alphen

Board Member 2015 - 23. CFO, Sohar Aluminium

Jerry has supported the school through the transition process from a small school through a leading school in the region that ABIS has become. He is a strong supporter of International Baccalaureate programmes, and has a keen interest in international education.

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Aneseri Chetty

Board Member 2016 - 19. Legal Counsel, Sohar Aluminium

For over 10 years, Aneseri has been a supporter of ABIS and has worked hard on behalf of the school in a huge range of areas. Her legal understanding and acumen help the school navigate the complex environment of expansion.

Ibrahim Al Kalbani

Board Member 2012 - 15.

Ibrahim worked with the school through the period of expansion, helping us follow tender procedures and deliver quality across the project.

Henk Pauw

Board Chair 2012 - 15.

Henk was instrumental in helping the school to grow to the school that it is today. His support, creativity and determination were critically important for the school.