Early Life
Suhail Bahwan was born in 1939 in Sur, Oman. He came from a family of traders who were involved in commerce across the Arabian Sea for generations. He started his career at a young age, accompanying his father on trading voyages. He completed his primary schooling in India, dropping out after the sixth grade. He gained valuable experience in negotiating with merchants from different parts of the world by managing dhows.
Rise to Success
In 1965, Bahwan, along with his brother Saud, moved to Muscat and opened a shop in the Muttrah Souq, initially selling fishing nets and construction equipment. The business expanded rapidly after securing distributorship licenses for Seiko watches and Toshiba electronics in 1968. In 1975, the Bahwan brothers secured the Toyota dealership, a major turning point, and within three years, Toyota became Oman's market leader. Over the next decade, the group added Ford and several major equipment manufacturers to its portfolio and entered into various sectors.
Key Business Strategies
Bahwan's key strategies included diversification. After success in the automotive industry, he expanded into construction, manufacturing, travel, and tourism. In 2002, the brothers decided to part ways; Suhail Bahwan retained the Seiko and Toshiba licenses, among other businesses. The Suhail Bahwan Group continued to grow, becoming a multibillion-dollar enterprise with over 30 companies and 7,000+ employees.
Philanthropy
Bahwan was known for his philanthropy through the Suhail Bahwan Charitable Foundation, supporting health, education, and social welfare initiatives in Oman and abroad. He has funded many projects in education, healthcare, and environmental protection, and was awarded the Sheikh Issa bin Ali Al Khalifa Award for Voluntary Work in 2017.
