[1] Bahwan began as a small-scale trader in Sur, with one dhow, inherited from his father, doing business between Oman and India.
[2] In 1965, he moved to the capital, Muscat and opened a shop in the Muttrah Souq with his brother Saud, named Suhail & Saud Bahwan,[3] initially they traded in construction equipment and fishing nets.
[2] The Saud Bahwan Group is now the largest privately owned business in Oman, with diverse business interests including fertilizers, healthcare, construction and automobiles.
[2] In 2002, he split with his brother, and as a result, the Saud Bahwan was divided into two groups.
[7] During April 2022, the French prosecutor's office in Nanterre issued an international arrest warrant for Bahwan, along with former Renault CEO, Carlos Ghosn following an investigation into whether they helped divert funds from carmaker Renault to its former chair and chief executive for personal use.