The 2025 NGG Delegation took place in London from 26 to 27 November 2025, with a cultural day on 28 November, generously supported by long‑term sponsor: bp Oman. The delegation offered a unique platform to explore the central and emerging issues shaping the important bilateral relationship between the UK and Oman — from trade and diplomacy to energy and innovation; key themes that closely aligned with the priorities of Oman's Vision 2040.
Blog written by Georgia Stone, MPhil Modern Middle Eastern Studies Student, University of Oxford, NGG 2025 Delegate
Every good schoolchild knows that you can’t create energy. Instead, you are limited to transferring it from one form to another. However, this rule does not bear true for what we learned about British-Omani collaboration over the course of the NGG Delegation 2025. Indeed, the strongest impression which I took from these three days was that when Britain and Oman work together, the result is always greater than the sum of its parts.
The power of synergy in the British-Omani relationship is first shown in the opportunity to transfer technical knowledge between the two countries. Mikey Clarke, CEO of Relode, showed the delegation how Oman provides the perfect opportunity to synthesise the lessons taken from the UK’s green energy transition with new, exciting technology which works in tandem with the geography and climate of Oman. Jose Amorim, Managing Director at Nicholson Jones Partnership Oman, reflected on how his career in the UK and then in Oman is based on the way in which collaboration and knowledge transfer between the two countries can build exciting and innovative building developments. Andrew Williamson, Managing Partner at Cambridge Innovation Capital, emphasised that it is an exciting time for British-Omani exchange of knowledge and resources in the realms of defence, energy, and technology. Time and time again, it was clear that the result of British-Omani collaborative work is always far greater than its individual components.
We also heard about many shared characteristics between Britain and Oman which facilitate a natural synthesis and synergy between the two countries. Professor Tim Evans spoke of a “natural synergy” between the British and Omani education systems which provides the bedrock of effective collaboration. He argued that this leads to ‘Omanisation’ in which businesses established in Oman as a result of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) employ a far large proportion of Omani staff than they are required to hire by law. There is also a surprising similarity between the geography of the two countries and its investment potential. Mikey Clarke explained that the shared characteristic of long coastline lends itself to British-Omani collaboration in the shipping sector and renewable energy technologies. Tim Evans even argued that Britain and Oman shared the required topography to be front runners in the ever-expanding private space industry. Many speakers also emphasised the benefits of the system of monarchy which the two countries share and praised the long-term vision, shared values, and secure relationships which this system upholds.
Finally, both the talks and the atmosphere at the NGG Delegation showed me that it is above all the relationships between individuals which lie at the heart of the success of British-Omani collaboration. Andrew Roughan, Chief Executive Officer at Plexal, showed us the importance of “collision moments” in which people from many different backgrounds come together in the same physical environment to share and challenge their knowledge. The “collision moment” provided by the NGG Delegation was, perhaps, the ultimate testament to the “synergy” at the heart of the British-Omani relationship. The speed at which we were all able to connect and build friendships served as very tangible proof that the future is bright for British-Omani collaboration. Alongside the LinkedIn connections, there were many exchanges of numbers, social media handles, and recommendations for visiting both countries. It was an honour to get to know all the delegates, and I know I’ll always have a number to call when I travel to Oman.
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