Suhail Salim Bahwan | |
|---|---|
سهيل سالم بهوان | |
 | |
| Born | (1939-05-22)22 May 1939 |
| Died | 23 November 2025(2025-11-23) (aged 86) |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Chairman, Suhail Bahwan Group Holding |
| Title | Sheikh |
| Spouse | Married |
| Children | 15 |
| Website | https://www.suhailbahwangroup.com/ |
Suhail Salim Bahwan (Arabic: سهيل سالم بهوان; 22 May 1939 – 23 November 2025) was an Omani billionaire businessman.[1]
Early life and career
Bahwan began as a small-scale trader in Sur, with one dhow, inherited from his father, doing business between Oman and India.[2] In 1965, he moved to the capital, Muscat and opened a shop in the Muttrah Souq with his brother Saud, named Suhail & Saud Bahwan,[3] initially they traded in construction equipment and fishing nets.[2]
In 1968, he obtained the local license for Seiko, and then one for Toyota.[2]
The Suhail Bahwan Group is now the largest privately owned business in Oman, with diverse business interests including fertilizers, healthcare, construction and automobiles.[2]
In 2002, he split with his brother, and as a result, the Suhail Bahwan was divided into two groups.[4][5]
In 2016, Bahwan passed much of the responsibility for running the Suhail Bahwan Group to Amal Bahwan,[5] his second-eldest daughter.[6] In 2021, he was the only Omani on Forbes' annual World's Billionaires ranking.[7]
During April 2022, the French prosecutor's office in Nanterre issued an international arrest warrant for Bahwan, along with former Renault CEO, Carlos Ghosn following an investigation into whether they helped divert funds from carmaker Renault to its former chair and chief executive for personal use.[8] In 2022, his fortune supposedly dropped by $600 million.[9]
Personal life and death
Bahwan was married with 15 children, and lived in Muscat, Oman.[2][6]
Bahwan died on 23 November 2025, at the age of 86.[10]
Awards
- 2017: Sheikh Issa bin Ali al Khalifa Award for voluntary work by the Arab League[11]
References
- ^ "Suhail Bahwan". Forbes. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Forbes profile: Suhail Bahwan". Forbes. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
- ^ "Heritage & Ownership". www.sbigh.com.
- ^ "Bahwan brothers divide their empire". Gulf News.
- ^ a b "Suhail Bhawan". Gulf Business.
- ^ a b Wendel, Samuel (11 April 2017). "From Humble Beginnings, Mohammed Saud Bhawan Became A Billionaire In Oman". Forbes. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
- ^ "Forbes list-Omani businessman Suhail Bahwan among world's richest Arabs". Times of Oman. 8 April 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
- ^ White, Sarah (22 April 2022). "French prosecutors issue arrest warrant for Carlos Ghosn". Financial Times. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
- ^ "Topped by Sawiris, Arab billionaires exposed to huge losses in 2022: Forbes". Egypt Independent. 10 October 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
- ^ "Sheikh Suhail Bahwan passes away". Muscat Daily. 23 November 2025. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
- ^ "Mohammed Saud Bhawan receives Arab League award for voluntary work". Muscat Daily News. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
