Ghassan Ayidh

Ghassan Ayidh’s journey into the world of business began long before his professional career. Born into an entrepreneurial family in Saudi Arabia, he was exposed to the realities of business ownership from a young age. While still in school, he worked part-time, gaining hands-on experience in SME operations. From managing inventory to handling customer interactions, he quickly learned the fundamentals of running a business, problem-solving on the fly, and adapting to challenges in a fast-paced environment.

Ghassan excelled academically, earning an Aramco merit scholarship—one of the most competitive honors in the region. He then moved to the United States for college, where he pursued a degree in Chemical Engineering at Oregon State University. He graduated cum laude with a minor in Business and Entrepreneurship, and the hands-on leadership skills he developed in college would become the foundation for his future work.

After completing his degree, Ghassan spent the next six years at Aramco, consistently ranking among the top 5% company-wide.
He began his career in offshore operations in the Gulf, optimizing subsea pipelines and improving operational reliability.
Later, he was tasked with managing a multidisciplinary team in a four-year, large-scale project in Safaniyah. He built a tight-knit, dedicated team and fostered an inclusive culture that helped the group work cohesively under pressure. His introduction of innovative carbon capture technology resulted in significant cost savings, and the project became a landmark achievement, earning him a corporate-wide excellence award.
In the final stage of his tenure at Aramco, he led an 18-person unit of financial analysts and planners, overseeing a $1 billion programs division

Ghassan then returned to the U.S. to earn an MBA from Harvard Business School. At Harvard, he dedicated half of his studies to mastering the intricacies of managing, strategizing, and growing small and medium-sized businesses. He engaged with dozens of executive leaders across different phases, deepening his understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities within this space.
During this time, he worked in private equity to gain hands-on experience in the private market and develop expertise in deal generation, execution, and management.

This combination of academic rigor, operational expertise, and managerial experience laid a strong foundation for Ghassan to launch OxMar Partners, Saudi Arabia’s first search fund. He assembled a diverse group of investors from the Kingdom, the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Europe, and the UAE, all working together to achieve long-term growth and success.
Beyond the boardrooms and offices, Ghassan is an avid traveler, adventurer, and skilled cook. He remains active in his community and social network.