Beyond Connectivity 2017

Opening and Introduction
Bocar A. BA
CEO
SAMENA Telecommunications Council

Chief Guest’s Address
H.E. Said Bin Hamdoon Al Harthy
Under Secretary for Ports and Maritimes Affairs
Ministry Of Transport & Communications

Guest of Honour’s Speech
H.E. Dr. Hamed Salim Al Rawahi
Executive President
TRA Oman

Welcome Note by Host
Sheikh Talal Said Marhoon Al Mamari
CEO
Omantel

Operator’s Perspective
Hatem Dowidar
CEO
Etisalat International

Moderator

Andrea Faggiano
Partner
Arthur D. Little

Speakers

Dr. Kamal Shehadi
Chief Legal & Regulatory Officer
Etisalat International

Adel Darwish
Head of International Relations
TRA Bahrain

Salim Bader Salim Al Mazrui
General Manager, Capacity & National Accounts
Omantel

Pankaj Asthaana
Digital Payments, Middle East & North Africa
MasterCar
TRA Oman

The sustainability challenge is among the biggest that the telecoms/ICT industry is facing. For each market, the facets of business sustainability are different, each defined by unique market dynamics, which include competition and how regulations are formulated and put into practice. However, given the commonality in challenges relating to sustainability, we need to approach the notion of sustainability from different angles. While doing so, we also need to look at old market practices (both business and regulatory) that have been proven to impact sustainability, and thus have been shelved. It is likely that practices known in one market to be archaic in nature get practiced elsewhere as being acceptable, or even encouraged. Such approaches should be openly brought to the discussion so that perspectives from both public sector and private sector stakeholders can be exchanged to consider something new; something that should be compatible with the current and future of the domestic market as well as those in the neighboring region. This multi-stakeholder panel will look at the following areas , with particular emphasis on the Omani market:

• What constitutes achieving sustainable advantages in the telco business?
• What are key components of long-term and sustainable investment in national digital development?
• Incentives for primary infrastructure owners and cost-based fair access to other service providers
• Unsustainable market practices across-markets

-- Coffee Break --

Setting the Scene

Imme Philbeck
Chief Economist and Director of Sector Development
SAMENA Telecommunications Council

Moderator

Chafic Chaya
Regional Communications Manager, Middle East Region
RIPE NCC

Speakers

Dr. Saoud Al Shoaili
Director General - Communications & Postal Services
Ministry of Transport & Communications

Eng. Zyad M. Alkhwaiter
General Manager of Regulatory Affairs
STC

Dr. Ibrahim Harb Nasser
Chief Legal Regulatory & Sourcing Officer
Orange Jordan

Sudhakar Ippatappu
Senior Manager, Accounting and Compliance
Omantel

Providing access to and encouraging the use of broadband infrastructure is inarguably integral to the advancement of global data economy. Many countries have yet to fully appreciate this emerging realm, and accelerate their preparations to be able to benefit from it by participating in it. In many countries, the telecom/ICT sector is a major contributor to GDP growth as well as a one where financial obligations exist the most; some in the shape of taxes while other as royalty fees. It is high time that industry fees for telecom/ICT players are looked at in new light and not only to address short-term national financial situation. The following perspectives should be debated:

• Impact of national budget deficit on telco network economics
• New tax obligations for telecom operators and the investment landscape in Oman

-- Lunch --

Moderator

Riyadh Derouiche
Senior Project Leader
AT Kearney

Speakers

Nour Al Atassi
Regional Vice President and Managing Director
Syniverse

Alex Bennett
CEO
FRiENDi Mobile

Francisco Salcedo
Senior Vice President/Etisalat Digital
Etisalat

Tarig Rahamtalla
Vice President
Sudatel

Hisham Ibrahim
Regional Program Manager
RIPE NCC

In a telecoms-only regulatory environment, it’s a challenge for telecom market players to foster and accelerate innovation. Or is it so? We do know that in the age of OTT play, where digital platforms and services have challenged traditional business approaches but have also created new possibilities for all stakeholders, it has become crucial to modernize the overall business environment, and that too systematically. Digital services are helping shape new possibilities in end-user experience, in stakeholder cooperation building across sectors, and the business. The importance of digital service is critical to the fulfillment of national digital agenda, including of digital and financial inclusion of the under-served, but it requires understanding of essential subject matter that falls within the realm of digital services:

• Digital Financial inclusion – ICT & Financial sector inclusion
• Cornerstones of digital inclusion and a healthy ICT ecosystem
• From e-government to smart connectedness
• Policy and regulatory frameworks impeding digital development opportunities

Setting the Scene

Jawad Jalal Abbassi
Head of MENA / Acting Head of Africa
GSMA

Moderator

Erik Almqvist
Managing Director
goetzpartners

Speakers

Jose Valles
VP New Business, Digital Transformation & Innovation
du

Jawad Jalal Abbassi
Head of MENA / Acting Head of Africa
GSMA

Fadi Nasser
General Manager ICT
Omantel

Brahim Ghribi
Head of Government Relations MEA
Nokia

Eng. Khalid Al Farkh
CEO
ILA Group

The ICT leadership imperative remains centered on the need to welcome varying views, address new digital needs of both developing and developed countries, and to guarantee that collective efforts will be allowed to reign in order to ensure mutual benefit. This is of paramount importance, given that regional governments, driven by the need to gain proximity to their citizens through digital means and to implement viable and sustainable ways to grow their economies, are shifting their focus on digital development. An insightful dialogue could help reveal what current governmental priorities are and what is being done to foster public-private partnerships to catalyze change.

• Setting digital policy priorities through inter-ministerial co-ordination and collaboration
• Engagement and participation of public/private stakeholders in national digital development policy
• Governmental responsibilities in technology adoption, fostering innovation, and catalyzing digital change

-- Coffee Break --

Moderator

Izhar Ahmad
Director Communications & Industry Affairs
SAMENA Telecommunications Council

Speakers

Mohammed Alta’ani
Advisor for Executive President
TRA Oman

Sameh Sobhy
Vice President
PCCW

Juma Nasser Said Al Naabi
Senior Manager, Service Delivery & Traffic Management
Omantel

Samer Bazyan
Regional Director
Yahsat

Industry and cross-national trends in data flows are pointing to the need to examine the relationship between cross-border data flows and economic growth. Data flows have real economic significance. Tens of other nations across the globe are considering new laws relating to cross-border communication. What is the GCC region’s progress on cross-border data flows and what is being done to address them? This panel will look at recent trends among nations on data flows across borders and the impact of such data flows.

• The use and economic impact of data
• Challenges and priorities in cross-border data flows
• Infrastructure and technological readiness

-- Dinner --