Mohammed Al Barwani
Mohammed bin Ali bin Mohammed Al Barwani | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 30, 1951 Oman |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, businessman |
| Known for | Founder and chairman of MB Holding Group |
Mohammed bin Ali bin Mohammed Al Barwani (born October 30, 1951) is a prominent Omani billionaire entrepreneur, recognized as the founder and chairman of the MB Holding Group. His business ventures span across oil and gas exploration and production, oilfield services, engineering, and mining sectors.
Early life
Al Barwani was born in Oman and pursued higher education in the United States and the United Kingdom. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Miami University, Ohio (1975), and a Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin (1981). Additionally, he earned a master’s degree in 1980 and received an honorary doctorate in petroleum engineering from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK, in 2010.
Career
Starting his professional journey as a reservoir engineer at Petroleum Development Oman (PDO)—a partnership between Shell and the Omani government—Al Barwani worked there from 1976 until 1986.
In 1982, he launched MB Holding initially to offer oilfield services. Over time, the group diversified into oil and gas exploration, production, and engineering disciplines. He also founded Mawarid Mining in 1987 and established Petrogas in 1999. Notable acquisitions under his leadership include KC Drilling in Hungary (1997), Erdol-Edgas Workover in Germany (2000), United Engineering Services in Oman (2004), and Hyspec in the United Kingdom (2012).
Al Barwani was the owner of Dutch yacht manufacturer Oceanco, having acquired it in 2010 before divesting it in 2025. In 2015, he expanded his maritime interests by purchasing Turquoise Yachts, a shipyard based in Turkey. Additionally, he heads Musstir, a real estate development firm with investments in multiple hotels across Oman.
He holds non-executive directorship positions at several publicly listed companies such as Al Madina Insurance Co. SAOG, Al Madina Investments SAOG on the Muscat Stock Market, and Nautilus Minerals. His previous board memberships include Oman Air, Shell Oman Marketing Company, Taageer Leasing Company, and National Bank of Oman. Furthermore, Al Barwani is affiliated with the International SeaKeepers Society.
Featured in Those Who Inspire Oman (2012), his wealth was valued by Forbes at approximately US$1.01 billion as of 2016.
In 2020, he was appointed chairman of Oman Air, the national carrier of Oman.
Personal life
Married to Sharifa al Harthy—who acts as deputy chairman of MB Holding and plays an active role within the organization—Al Barwani resides in Muscat. The couple has five children, all employed within various divisions of MB Holding.
Among his personal assets are several boats, including his largest yacht named Sharifa, which measures 32 meters in length.