Muscat, Masqaţ, Oman, September 2025 – Karima AlGhafri has taken on a new leadership role as Head of People – Petroleum Engineering at Petroleum Development Oman (PDO). In this strategic position, Karima will be responsible for driving the people agenda across the Petroleum Engineering function, supporting workforce capability, talent development, and culture transformation aligned with PDO’s broader vision for sustainable growth and excellence.
Karima brings nearly two decades of extensive experience at PDO, having held a series of leadership and strategic roles across petroleum engineering and capability development functions. Most recently, she served as Petroleum Engineering Capability Manager, where she oversaw competency frameworks, team development strategies, and technical upskilling initiatives for engineering teams.
Previously, Karima held the role of PE Capability Strategy Lead, where she was responsible for designing and executing talent development strategies and long-term workforce planning. Before that, she served as Reservoir Engineering Skill Pool Manager, managing technical competencies, mentoring, and development roadmaps for reservoir engineering professionals.
She also served as Head of Business Planning – Petroleum Engineering, where she was instrumental in aligning technical planning and financial strategies, and spent over 12 years as a Reservoir Engineer, where she developed deep technical expertise and led several strategic projects within PDO. Karima began her professional journey as a Project Engineer at the Ministry of Information, Oman, gaining early project leadership experience.
About Petroleum Development Oman
Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) is the leading exploration and production company in the Sultanate of Oman, responsible for the majority of the country’s crude oil production and natural gas supply. With a strong focus on excellence, innovation, and sustainable value creation, PDO plays a pivotal role in the energy sector, while investing in the development of its people and the communities it serves. The company is committed to building local capabilities, driving technical excellence, and leading Oman toward a more sustainable and resilient energy future.
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