26-05-2025
OQ forum gathers global experts to advance internal audit in Oman
MUSCAT: Affirming its commitment to transparency, good governance and excellence in institutions, OQ, the global energy group of Oman, organised the Internal Audit Forum in partnership with Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Oman and KPMG.
Held under the auspices of Shaikh Ghosn bin Hilal al Alawi, Chairman of the State Audit Institution (SAI), the two-day event took place at the JW Marriott Muscat Hotel and attracted over 300 internal audit specialists across Oman's public and private sectors.
Shaikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad al Harthy, Chief Internal Audit Officer at OQ Group, said the company marks International Internal Audit Month by hosting a series of important activities and knowledge exchange forums.
"OQ continues to invest in in-country talent and collaborate with its international peers to exchange best practices and adhere to international best practices in control, compliance and risk management," he added.
Speaking to the Observer, Warren Hersh, IIA Quality Service Director, stated, "The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) is the international umbrella organisation cooperating with over 115 national institutes around the world, including Oman," said Hersh.
"Essentially each country has an institute and we work closely with them on priority issues such as co-operation, internal audit quality and the setting of worldwide standards. We're also keen to understand how the internal audit profession will change and develop to address future challenges,' he stated.
Harris Matin, who is a KPMG Advisory Partner, said, 'We are pleased to assist OQ on this milestone for the internal audit profession in Oman.'
He added, "Over the course of these two days, we will seek to engage, cooperate and reflect on our personal experience as we shape the future of internal audit in the Sultanate of Oman. I congratulate OQ on this tremendous achievement in bringing together such a rich basket of talent and we anticipate many more significant joint efforts in the future."
Among the top-of-mind issues covered were digital transformation in auditing, geopolitical risk, embedding ESG, cybersecurity and developing integrated assurance frameworks.
Attendees discussed global and regional trends, regulatory developments in Oman, highlighting the key role of the internal audit function in enabling sustainable governance and organisational resilience. Sessions highlighted how audit functions can offer greater strategic contributions by innovating, being nimble and collaborating cross-functionally.
Delegates included IIA Oman board members, senior officials of the Oman Investment Authority, public and private sector executives; and IIA Global representatives.
The forum is an integral part of OQ's broader transformation journey towards infusing accountability, resilience and high performance in all its operations. It also reflects the company's commitment to playing its part in supporting national aspirations for developing a modern, responsible and innovation-driven private sector.
The leadership at OQ emphasised the role of internal audit in shaping decision-making and maintaining trust in institutions, referring to it as one of the key drivers of long-term value creation and governance excellence.
