Monday 09 / November / 2026
Muscat: The ATD Oman 2026 Conference and Expo opened today in Muscat. The event is organized by Al-Asayel Development Company, represented by its brand "Al-Asayel Conferences," in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and in partnership with the Association for Talent Development (ATD). It brings together an elite group of leaders, experts, and specialists in human resources, training, institutional development, and talent development from the Sultanate of Oman and a number of Arab and foreign countries.
This international event, which was opened under the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Mohammed bin Thuwaini Al Said, aims to enhance the Sultanate of Oman's standing as a regional hub for specialized professional conferences and exhibitions and to attract global expertise and practices in human capital development. This supports the objectives of Oman Vision 2040, particularly in developing national competencies, raising institutional productivity, and enhancing labour market readiness for future requirements.
As many as 25 international, regional, and local speakers and experts are participating in the conference to discuss the most prominent transformations in the world of work, the future of leadership, the application of artificial intelligence in learning and development, and the building of future skills. They will also review successful institutional experiences in human capital development and in promoting a culture of innovation and continuous learning.
The two-day conference programme includes a range of keynote and dialogue sessions and specialized working papers discussing the future of work, leadership and institutional culture, artificial intelligence in learning and development, future skills, and measuring the return on investment in training. It also reviews successful institutional experiences in human capital development.
The conference hosts keynote speaker Canadian expert Dan Pontefract, a five-time globally awarded author specializing in leadership and institutional culture. He will present a keynote paper titled "Leadership at Its Best: Purpose, Empathy, and the Future of Work," in which he will review the role of leadership based on human values and institutional purpose in building more productive and innovative work environments, enhancing employee engagement, and achieving sustainable institutional performance.
The conference also featured a keynote dialogue session titled "How Can Talent Development Contribute Strategically to Achieving National Visions," with the participation of Dr. Mohammed Mustafa Al-Najjar, Director-General of Labour; Turkiya Al Adawi from Oman Energy Association (OPAL); and an elite group of leaders and experts from regional countries.
The session today addressed the role of talent development strategies in supporting national visions, aligning training outputs with labour market needs, and strengthening partnership between the public and private sectors to build competencies capable of keeping pace with economic and technological transformations.
The first day's proceedings included a number of working papers and specialized sessions, including a paper presented by Radhika Punshi on data-driven decision-making and its role in developing institutional performance. There were also other sessions on building a future-ready workforce and reviewing the latest practices in skills development and enhancing institutions' ability to adapt to accelerating changes.
The conference also discusses measuring the return on investment in training through a specialized session reviewing the importance of linking training programmes to performance indicators and institutional outcomes, with the participation of Dr. Faten Al Zadjali from Bank Dhofar and moderated by international expert Nader Bashini.
The conference also features dialogue sessions discussing the building of resilient educational institutions, the development of continuous learning systems, and the enhancement of institutions' ability to attract, develop, and retain talent, with the participation of an elite group of officials, leaders, and experts from various sectors.
In the coming days, the conference will focus on practical applications and institutional experiences in talent and leadership development, the role of artificial intelligence in reshaping learning and personal development, the importance of investing in developing national leadership, building career paths, and enhancing talent sustainability within institutions.
The conference also reviews a number of national experiences in human capital development, including experiences from Petroleum Development Oman and Occidental Oman. There are also sessions discussing managing generational diversity in work environments, enhancing employee engagement, and building an institutional culture based on learning and innovation.
The conference is accompanied by a specialized exhibition on training, development, and talent development, which opens its doors free of charge to visitors and brings together a number of institutions, training institutes, and companies specializing in providing educational and technical solutions, consulting services, and professional and vocational programmes and certifications.
