When James Donovan left Lehman Brothers he wanted to use his experience and no how to change the world beyond just making lots of money.  His passion for the environment and the outdoors was one of the founding reasons for establishing FirstCarbon Solutions, which advises businesses and companies around the world how they can reduce their “carbon output.”

“We know that if we help even the most skeptical CEOs move one inch down a lower-carbon path today, those same CEOs may fly 1,000 miles farther in the future – especially when they can see and quantify their business results in terms of regulatory compliance, operational efficiencies and sometimes even increased market share.”

Its this passion and vision that James Donovan brings to the energy arena and its this energy that we in Oman need to move beyond just being rich petroleum exporters. We should strive to move into alternative energy resources not just for the environment, but because we need and can be successful leaders int hat field as well.

In fact in my home country of Oman H.E. Maqbool Bin Ali Bin Sultan, Minister of Commerce and Industry, on Sunday received in his office Zhong Shan, Vice-Minister of Commerce of China and his delegation. The Oman Tribune reports:

The meeting discussed means of promoting economic and trade relations between the two countries and stressed the importance of raising the inter-trade between the Sultanate and China.

It also discussed the field of promoting the non-oil inter-trade by intensive participation of the private sector in both countries in the trade exhibitions held in the two countries to promote local products.

They also discussed the organising of economic seminars to attract investment and cooperation in the fields of energy, infrastructure, telecommunications and means of reaching the free trade agreement between China and the GCC states during which the agreement will cover products and services.

The meeting was attended by Dr Salim Bin Nassir Al Isma’eli, Chief Executive Officer of the Omani Centre for Investment Promotion and Export Development (Ociped), a number of senior officials at the commerce and industry ministry, the Chinese ambassador to the Sultanate and the delegation accompanying the Chinese official.

Source

This was revealed according to the newspaper “Today” Saudi Arabia in the open meeting held by the East Room with the minister, businessmen and those concerned with agriculture and related sectors in the ministry.