Etisalat’s Chairman honoured with ‘Stevie’ at International Business Awards

The prestigious International Business Awards – more widely known as the Stevies – has honoured Etisalat, the UAE headquartered telecommunications company, with three awards for ‘Most Innovative Company,’ ‘Best Customer Care’ and ‘Best Chairman’.

Mohammed Omran, Chairman, Etisalat, who is the architect of the group’s expansion to encompass operations throughout the Middle East, Africa and Asia, received the ‘Best Chairman’ award. Under his leadership, Etisalat’s customer base has increased from four million in 2004 to 140 million today across 18 markets.

Since becoming Chairman in 2005, group revenues have enjoyed double-digit compound annual growth rate to reach AED 31.9 billion (US$ 8.7 billion) with a four-year period where CAGR exceeded 25% between 2005 and 2008. Etisalat’s footprint now covers two billion people, nearly one third of the world’s population.

Omran has also guided the group through a diversification programme that has seen Etisalat develop as one of the world’s leading telecommunications companies with the broadest portfolio of products, capabilities and talent. In addition to providing telecommunications services in 18 markets, the group’s portfolio of companies also includes submarine cable maintenance and repair, the Thuraya satellite communications network, and a leading manufacturer of SIM cards among others.

Receiving the award, Omran said: “Telecommunications transforms economies, businesses, communities and the way people live. Our mission is to bring the future of communications to the most dynamic regions in the world, no matter how challenging or demanding the market, and that requires innovation.

“Etisalat’s innovations, such as the launch this week of our cashless payment service by mobile phone, provide a platform for the future of communications, commerce and collaboration, and we are delighted that the International Business Awards has recognised this.”

He continued: “Etisalat is a home for remarkable people. Our success is due to the talented problem-solvers who focus every day on delivering next-generation services that transform the lives of the people who live, work and play on our world-class networks. I thank them for their dedication and ingenuity.”

In addition to the three top awards, the company also received medals in four other categories: ‘Green Initiative,’ ‘Corporate Social Responsibility,’ ‘Telecom Company’ and ‘Human Resources’.

The Stevie Awards were created to honour the achievements and raise the profile of exemplary work done by organisations from around the world. The board of judges comprises prominent global industrialists and management experts including Tom Peters and Gary Hamel.

With more than 140 million customers in 18 countries across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, Etisalat aims to be a Top 10 global telecommunications leader. Our innovations provide a platform for the future of communications, commerce and collaboration.

As one of the most powerful players in Sri Lanka’s telecommunications industry, Etisalat continues to discover new horizons and explore new possibilities in the domain. Etisalat further offers Sri Lanka’s most cutting edge Internet solutions with the launch if it’s 3.75G technology.

Offering a variety of value added services, sales offerings, affinity packages and other services, they stand atop of the ladder in innovation, quality and customer service. Having passed an impressive 3.5 million subscribers in a record time since its launch, Etisalat remains dedicated to increasing its subscriber base and taking the company into greater heights.