• ACCA
• Charlie Watson
• Diana Brightmore-Armour
• Fatma Al-Kharusi
• Goh Geok Cheng
• Isobel Graham
• Rajaram Krishna Boodhai
• Ricky Lo
• Richard Phiri
• Audit profiles

With a career spanning over 30 years at major exploration and production company Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), Fatma - finance director and the first woman on the senior management team - is one of the most experienced and respected businesswomen in the Sultanate.

Returning to her native Oman with a degree in commerce and accounting, she took up the position of payroll accountant at PDO in 1974. Fatma's appointment was a significant one, not only for Fatma who would see her career progress to a directorship, but also for the company which had the foresight to hire a local woman to work in Oman's largest company. Her own career trajectory has seen her move into a plethora of roles within PDO and Shell in auditing, management accounting, investor relations and financial management. She was appointed finance director in 1996.

Closer to her professional roots, Fatma has also been instrumental in highlighting the need for a robust and recognised accounting education in the Sultanate through her status as an FCCA as well as her presence on the government accreditation committee. 'I am delighted that at last we have a professional body like ACCA represented here in Oman. It helps ensure that tuition providers are accredited and provide a service of the highest education standard. That way, organisations like PDO know their staff will get the best professional education.'

After such a long tenure at PDO, and over a decade as finance director, Fatma says her role still presents new challenges. As she puts it: 'In Oman , it's about what you do and if you do it well, that's what counts.' And she has certainly counted.