Ali Adnan Haider Darwish is the founder and CEO of BHD Group, the Omani group of companies behind Cardify. BHD Group (Bin Haider Darwish L.L.C.) was founded in 1894 and carries the name of Ali's grandfather. Ali has led it as founder and CEO since 2019, starting from BHD Printing & Designing in Muscat. BHD Group now has 14 companies in printing, technology, software platforms and sovereign AI. Cardify, the bilingual business card platform you are reading now, is one of them.
From a print shop to a group of platforms
BHD stands for Bin Haider Darwish LLC, the name of Ali's grandfather. The group began as a printing house in Muscat.
The group then moved into software. Its companies and products include Hosn (sovereign on-premises AI), Mithaq (board governance software), Cardify (digital business cards), Dardasha (a WhatsApp business platform), Paper & Pen, ReachScreens, Q+, arabian.ceo and Splitty. Ali is also a co-founder of The Flower Bar.
Where Cardify fits
A business card is a print product first. Cardify keeps the printed card and adds a digital one. A company designs its card once and generates it for every employee. People share the card by link or QR code, save it to Apple Wallet, and print it at local Omani shops. Every card and page works in English and Arabic.
Cardify launched in 2024 and is based in Muscat. Around the cards, it publishes free public resources: the Oman Business Index of Omani companies and the Omani Logo Library of brand logos. A group that began in print now builds the software that carries the card onto a phone.
Public strategy and investment
Alongside the group, Ali works in national strategy. Since February 2025 he has been Head of Strategic Planning at ITHCA Group, Oman's sovereign technology fund. Since October 2023 he has been Secretary to the Board of DataOm, ITHCA Group's submarine cable company.
From November 2021 to June 2023 he was Head of Business Environment at the Oman Vision 2040 Office. There he built the Invest in Oman centre. He also worked on the National Investment Strategy, which narrowed 43 sectors to 8 priority sectors.
His career began in 2017. Earlier roles include Oman Broadband, Oman Aviation Group, EY and the Central Bank of Oman. Since 2023 he has also served as a board member of the Oman Fencing Committee.
Education
Ali is a doctoral candidate in Innovation and Management at the University of Central Lancashire. He holds an MSc in Sustainability, Entrepreneurship and Design and a BSc in Economics and Management, both from Brunel University London. He completed the IB Diploma at The Sultan's School.
Recognition
In November 2025 Ali won the Family Business Council Gulf Next Generation Award. He was the first Omani to win it. The FBCG awards record lists the result.
Learn more
Ali Adnan Haider Darwish is also known as Ali Al-Zaabi. His legal name is Ali Adnan Haider Darwish Al-Zaabi. His personal site is alizaabi.om, and his full career record is on his About page.
For more on the product, read About Cardify.