Organizer
Chief Patron
Sponsors
Official Media Partner
Media Partner
Partner
Meeting between Government Leaders and Telecommunications Industry CEOs
SAMENA Telecommunications Council's Telecom Leaders' Summit is a collaborative, workshop and communication-centric industry-wide experience, created for and annually offered to the Leaders of the Public Sector and the Private Sector of South Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, Asia, Europe and beyond. In its material form, SAMENA Council's Leaders' Summit is the congregation of Chairmen and Chief Executives of leading communications service providers, Heads of regulatory authorities, Ministers, Influencers, and Professionals that are driving digital development both regionally and internationally. Designed to verbalize critical business, policies and regulatory challenges in an ambience conducive to open communication among a diverse group of key stakeholders. Participation in SAMENA Council's Leaders' Summit necessitates the sharing of insights and their conversion into implementable strategies and outcomes, required for sustaining digital progress. Thus the mission of the Leaders' Summit meets fulfillment by:
- Enabling the framing of practicable strategies, to help reap maximum, long-term socio-economic benefit through a well-defined digital agenda and adoption of national and sector-specific digitization policies
- Fostering thought-leadership that can drive progress of telecom sector governance and regulation in the region to support the evolving scope, dynamics, and needs of the telecommunications industry, while ensuring its path to growth and sustainability
- Supporting the creation of a business-conducive environment for telecom operators to invest in next-generation digital communications infrastructure, and to formulate business models
- Achieving clarity on evolving imperatives in stakeholder cooperation, for fostering collaboration between telecom operators, regulatory authorities, policy-makers, and other industry stakeholders, with the ultimate objective to enhance progress in digital development and create business efficiencies and value-creation.
About Huawei
Huawei is a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider. Our aim is to enrich life and improve efficiency through a better connected world, acting as a responsible corporate citizen, innovative enabler for the information society, and collaborative contributor to the industry. Driven by customer-centric innovation and open partnerships, Huawei has established an end-to-end ICT solutions portfolio that gives customers competitive advantages in telecom and enterprise networks, devices and cloud computing. Huawei’s 170,000 employees worldwide are committed to creating maximum value for telecom operators, enterprises and consumers. Our innovative ICT solutions, products and services are used in more than 170 countries and regions, serving over one-third of the world’s population. Founded in 1987, Huawei is a private company fully owned by its employees.
About Nokia
Nokia is a global leader innovating the technologies at the heart of our connected world. Powered by the research and innovation of Nokia Bell Labs, we serve communications service providers, governments, large enterprises and consumers, with the industry's most complete, end-to-end portfolio of products, services and licensing.
From the enabling infrastructure for 5G and the Internet of Things, to emerging applications in virtual reality and digital health, we are shaping the future of technology to transform the human experience. www.nokia.com
About Ericsson
Ericsson is a world leader in communications technology and services with headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. Our organization consists of more than 111,000 experts who provide customers in 180 countries with innovative solutions and services. Together we are building a more connected future where anyone and any industry is empowered to reach their full potential. Net sales in 2016 were SEK 222.6 billion (USD 24.5 billion). The Ericsson stock is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and on NASDAQ in New York. Read more www.ericsson.com.
About Etisalat
Etisalat Group is one of the world’s leading telecom groups in emerging markets. Etisalat’s current market cap is over 160 billion AED (43 billion USD). With reported net revenues of AED 51.7 billion and net profit of AED 8.3 billion for 2015, Etisalat ranks amongst the most profitable telecom groups in the world. Its high credit ratings at AA-/A+/Aa3 reflect the company’s strong balance sheet and proven long-term performance.
Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, Etisalat was established four decades ago in the UAE as the country’s first telecommunications service provider. An international blue-chip organisation, Etisalat Group provides innovative solutions and services to 162 million subscribers in 17 countries across the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
Etisalat Group’s mission is to provide a best-in-class total customer experience domestically and internationally, deliver attractive returns to shareholders while investing in the long-term future of the company, and supporting economic development in all the markets we operate in. Aspiring to be the most admired telecom group in emerging markets, Etisalat strives to consistently foster innovation and deliver first-in-market technologies wherever it operates. This is evidenced by its expeditionary trials of 5G services in the UAE – the first-ever in the region – including coordinating the development, design and deployment of future ICT platforms for fifth generation mobile broadband. Abu Dhabi is the first capital in the world to be fully connected and has the highest speed fibre optic on the planet.
Such diverse technological expertise has helped Etisalat Group capture significant market share as it expands across Africa, Asia and the Middle East, most notably in Egypt, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, where the introduction of innovative mobile broadband services has changed market dynamics and provided affordable mobile internet access for millions of people. Etisalat Group’s performance and services have been widely recognised by the industry. It has won many major awards, including the prestigious annual GSMA’s Global Mobile Awards for the past four years.
About WorldSkills
About ACTVET
The Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and
Training (ACTVET) was established in 2010 by the directive of His
Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu
Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
ACTVET is committed to establishing policies and standards that effectively regulate technical and vocational educational institutions in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. ACTVET is also responsible for the licensing of trainers and tutors that meet the demands of the local market.
ACTVET is the parent organisation of EmiratesSkills and the host of WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017. The event will be a landmark for the United Arab Emirates and will boost awareness of training and educational opportunities for young UAE nationals in the vocational sector. ACTVET’s ultimate goal is increasing the number of skilled Emirati youths in rewarding career paths and foster lifelong learning and personal development.
For more information, visit www.actvet.ac.ae or follow @ACTVETuae on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
About WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017
WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 will be held under the patronage of His
Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu
Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. Over
1,300 competitors from 77 countries will choose from 51 skill
competitions – from Aircraft Maintenance and Robotics to Fashion
Technology and Graphic Design.
WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 (WSAD 2017) aims to inspire young people to study vocational skills for entrepreneurship or for their career, in line with the Abu Dhabi Plan for economic diversification.
The event will take place 14-19 October 2017 at ADNEC (Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre). For more information, visit https://worldskillsabudhabi2017.com or follow @WorldSkillsAD on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
About WorldSkills International
Founded in 1950, WorldSkills is a global organization that promotes
vocational, technological, and service oriented education and
training. It promotes skilled careers in 77 Member countries and
regions, all working with youth, educators, governments, and
industries to help prepare the workforce and talent of today for the
jobs of the future.
WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 (WSAD 2017) aims to inspire young people to study vocational skills for entrepreneurship or for their career, in line with the Abu Dhabi Plan for economic diversification.
WorldSkills brings youth, industries, and educators together to give young people the chance to compete, experience, and learn how to become the best in their skill of choice. From the traditional trades to multi-skilled technology careers in the industry and service sectors, supported by partners, industries, governments, volunteers, and educational institutions, WorldSkills is making a direct impact on raising the level of skills throughout the world.
For more information, visit www.worldskills.org or follow @WorldSkills on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
About Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University
Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU) is committed to instigating a culture of quality and research through smart learning, with emphasis in the disciplines of business, quality management, education, healthcare and environment. Guided by the visionary leadership of its President, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai-U.A.E, the University enjoys international credibility and recognition with its programs not only being demand-driven, but also customized to meet the growing needs of businesses in the Arab world.
Established in 2002, this pioneering higher education initiative believes in the delivery of innovative education to each learner, leveraging quality management tools, smart learning pedagogical principles, entrepreneurship thinking and progressive collaborative learning. With its unique learning environment, the University offers a fresher learning experience with the use of learning technologies in the form of educational gamification, mobile learning, discussion blogs, and social networking all suited to meet the lifestyles of working professionals and high-school graduates alike.
The University has additionally gained international recognition through its alignment with leading educational institutions and organizations, including UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education, International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE), American Society for Quality (ASQ), Open Educational Resources University (OERu), European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), Open University of Catalonia, University of South Africa (UNISA), Dauphine Université Paris, Talal Abu-Ghazaleh University, University of Houston, University of Salford, University of St. Gallen to mention a few.
HBMSU also organizes the international scientific conference Innovation Arabia that serves as an ideal research platform to exchange ideas, discuss challenges and solutions in the development of sustainable economies in the Arab world through innovation.
Telecom Leaders' Summit 2017
Opening
15:30 - 15:35
Welcome Speech
Keynote Presentation
15:35 - 15:50
Enabling operators’ digital transformation, flexibility, cost efficiency, and business growth – Operator perspectives
15:50 - 16:05
Creating an incentivized, inclusion-driven industry environment, and promoting the implementation of the UAE digital strategy
16:05 - 16:20
Shape the Cloud, Win the Future: A better view from All Cloud on the future of ICT transformation
16:20 - 16:35
Leaders’ perspectives on enabling digital economy through digital services and advanced digital technologies
Panel Discussion
16:35 - 17:35
Scene – Setting: Cloud communication strategy
and media cloud
Panel 1: How to effectively implement Digital for efficient business
enablement
17:35 - 18:35
Panel 2: Building a digital-services ecosystem supported by a sustainable, progressive industry environment
Coffee Break
18:35 - 19:30
Cocktail Reception
Gala Dinner & Ceremony
19:30 - 22:00
VIP Speech
Gala Dinner and Entertainment
Huawei Sub Forum
Shape The Cloud, Win The Future
9:30 - 12:30
Cloud Business Sub Forum
Accelerate Digital Transformation Through Cloud
09:30 - 12:30
Ultra-Broadband Sub Forum
Ultra-Broadband Network Enable Telco’s Success in Video Business
10:00 - 11:15
Huawei GCI 2017 Launch in ME
09:00 - 19:00
Demo Booth Visiting
About Huawei
Huawei is a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider. Our aim is to enrich life and improve efficiency through a better connected world, acting as a responsible corporate citizen, innovative enabler for the information society, and collaborative contributor to the industry. Driven by customer-centric innovation and open partnerships, Huawei has established an end-to-end ICT solutions portfolio that gives customers competitive advantages in telecom and enterprise networks, devices and cloud computing. Huawei’s 170,000 employees worldwide are committed to creating maximum value for telecom operators, enterprises and consumers. Our innovative ICT solutions, products and services are used in more than 170 countries and regions, serving over one-third of the world’s population. Founded in 1987, Huawei is a private company fully owned by its employees.
Opening
Opening and Introduction
Bocar A. BA
CEO
SAMENA Telecommunications Council
Keynote Presentations & Speeches
Khaled Biyari
Chairman, SAMENA Telecommunications Council Group CEO, Saudi Telecom Company
H.E. Hamad Al Mansoori
Director General
TRA-UAE
Mr. Charles Yang
President ME Region
Huawei
Mr. Ted Matsumoto
Senior Advisor
Softbank Corp.
Panel 1: Effectively implementing Digital for efficient business enablement
Setting - Scene
Opening and Introduction
Mr. Osman Sultan
CEO
du
Mr. Bahjat El Darwiche
Partner
Strategy&
Speakers
Mr. Indranil Das
Vie President, Head of IT & Cloud, Region Middle East
Ericsson
Dr. Andrew Arowojolu
Group Regulatory Division
Zain Group
Mr. Jawad Abbassi
Head of MENA
GSM
Mr. Chua Ghim Sim
VP IT America Branch
Huawei
Dr. Mohammed Altamimi
Director of Service Providers Affairs Competition & Legal Dep.
CITC
Panel 2: Building a digital-services ecosystem supported by a sustainable, progressive industry environment
Setting - Scene
Opening and Introduction
Dr. Robert Pepper
Head of Global Connectivity and Technology Policy
Mr. Philippe Defraigne
Director
Cullen International
Speakers
Sh. Nasser Bin Mohamed Al Khalifa
Deputy General Director
TRA Bahain
Dr. Kamal Shehadi
Chief Legal & Regulatory Officer
Etisalat Interntional
Mr. Eric Loeb
Senior Vice President
AT&T
Dr. Robert Pepper
Head of Global Connectivity and Technology Policyt
Dr. Ismail Shah
Chairman
PTA Pakistan
Mr. Noel Kirkaldy
Business Development, Public Sector, Advanced Mobile Network Solutions
Nokia
Mr. Karan Ponnudurai
Chief Digital Officer
Batelco Group
SAMENA Council's Telecom Leaders' Summit Sends Reminder of High Expectations from the Digital Communications Industry
With the official patronage of Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRA) of the UAE, the South Asia - Middle East - North Africa (SAMENA) region’s most prestigious annual ICT leadership event, SAMENA Telecommunications Council's Leaders' Summit, held in partnership with Huawei Middle East and sponsored by Nokia, Ericsson, du and Etisalat, reminded the industry to set new aspirations and counter challenges of making the digital world more inclusive and constructive for the human cause.
The Leaders' Summit was honored by the presence and keynote address of the UAE's Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, HH Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, SAMENA Council's Guest of Honor in the Leaders' Summit. Sheikh Nahyan emphasized to stakeholders of the digital communications industry that connectivity for everyone is a basic human right and it is rapidly transforming from being only physical to also being virtual. It was reiterated that digital is the new way of life, and thus the industry must work tirelessly, driven by innovation and co-operation, to capture its true value, develop new pricings systems and do everything in its collective power to connect everyone to the Internet; with the aim of eliminating digital divides, which still persist and may still be growing, despite high rate of adoption of connectivity services and investment by telecom operators. The industry must also work collaboratively to go beyond connecting people to promoting the usefulness and the relevance of digital communications in the evolving human society.
Highly renowned public figures, industry experts, and distinguished guests from the ICT domain and beyond, representing private and government sectors, and world-class names in the digital communications industry took part in the Leaders' Summit. Core discussions of the Summit focused on the use of new digital communication technologies. With the purpose of aligning the industry stakeholders on the creation and provision of digital services, the discussions also invited attention on reducing costs, increasing flexibility to deliver new digital services through cloud for a better customer experience, meeting policy efficacy and regulatory efficiency requirements for facilitating fair and healthy business practices, and creating open digital platforms.
Industry stakeholders, which included leaders representing STC Group, Batelco Group, Zain Group, Orange Jordan, Viva Kuwait, Ooredoo Group, Etisalat Group, GSMA, TRA-UAE, NTRA, CITC, TRA-Oman, ICTA/BTK, Huawei, Nokia, Ericsson, among others, also took part in exclusive bi-lateral stakeholder meetings, organized by SAMENA Council on a "by-invitation-only" basis, in accordance with the main theme of the Summit, “Aligning Visions to Meet the Demands of The Digital World”, to facilitate sector development partnership and stakeholder inclusion.
The SAMENA Council's Leaders' Roundtable (SALT) meeting focused on the current state of the digital ecosystem and how it requires open and flexible and technology neutral governance models that should facilitate innovation, competition and local and regional value-creation through investment, while protecting consumers. While the meeting was held under the Chatham House Rule, the underlying objective of the discussion was to drive a transformational reset and to define a regulatory paradigm through collaboration among policymakers, regulators, and operators; for which common operator visions and positions are necessary for communication with regulators. Similarly, the bilateral meeting held between telecom operators and Internet applications and content providers focused on the need for developing symbiotic relationships, given that there are opportunities and goals, which are common to both, and challenges that both view differently, with varying perspectives. A new Inclusive Internet Index was presented by Facebook, with publically accessible data. The index promises new possibilities in stakeholder co-operation by using new findings and insights on where Internet is and is not being accessed and the factors contributing to this lack of access and adoption. Held also was a bi-lateral meeting among terrestrial and satellite operators, with the purpose of bringing together both industries to develop a minimum common agenda, move forward together, and explore new opportunities that exist for both.
Recognizing the Leaders' Summit as an important platform for the digital communications industry during his speech, HE Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, TRA-UAE's Director General stated that: “We are on the threshold of a big transformation. The Internet of Humans is evolving into the Internet of Things. The world is witnessing an explosive boom in artificial intelligence and connectivity of devices and objects. By 2020, billions of interconnected robots, devices and data sources will make humanity enter an era of unprecedented features and relations. One of the funny predictions of Gartner is that by 2020/, the average person will have more conversations with robots than with their spouses. Therefore, numbers of such flowing data exchanged among devices will be astronomical and unprecedented. Words like ‘Zettabyte’ will be a widely used term then.”
TRA DG also participated in two of the aforementioned bi-lateral stakeholder meetings, set up by SAMENA Council as a part of its continuous co-operation and coordination-building efforts among industry stakeholders from within and beyond the SAMENA region.
As the event partner for the fourth consecutive year, Charles Yang, President - Huawei Middle East, stated, “This year’s event has clearly demonstrated the strong commitment by the ICT industry to accelerate the region’s digital transformation by effectively aligning towards a common vision that underpins the creation of a true digital economy. Huawei’s presence at this important gathering enables us to share our global expertise and Open ROADS strategy for a Better Connected World, while working with leaders from the SAMENA region to define a cloud-driven roadmap that can deliver on the region’s transformational needs.”
Dr. Khaled Biyari – SAMENA Council Chairman & STC GCEO, Mr. Bocar BA – SAMENA Council CEO, Mr. Charles Yang – Huawei President Middle East Region, Mr. Lan Yun - President, Carrier Network Business Group (CNBG) - Huawei Middle East, Mr. Ted Matsumoto – Softbank Corp. Senior Advisor, Mr. Osman Sultan – du CEO, Dr. Robert Pepper – Facebook Head of Global Connectivity and Technology Policy, delivered keynote speeches and presentations.
Moderators and speakers of the Summit and its bi-lateral meetings included Mr. Phillipe Defraigne - Director - Cullen International, Mr. Bahjat El Darwiche - Partner, Strategy &, Dr. Andrew Arowojolu - Group Regulatory Division Zain Group, Sh. Nasser Bin Mohamed Al Khalifa - Deputy General Director - TRA Bahrain, Dr. Kamal Shehadi - Chief Legal & Regulatory Officer - Etisalat International, Mr. Karan Ponnudurai - Chief Digital Officer - Batelco Group, Dr. Ismail Shah - Chairman - PTA Pakistan, Mr. Eric Loeb - Senior Vice President - AT&T, Mr. Noel Kirkaldy - Business Development, Public Sector, Advanced Mobile Network Solutions - Nokia, Mr. Jawad Abbassi - Head of MENA GSMA, Mr. Chua Ghim Sim - VP IT America Branch Huawei, Dr. Mohammed Altamimi - Director of Service Providers Affairs Competition & Legal Dep - CITC, Mr. Indranil Das - Vice President, Head of IT& Cloud, Region Middle East - Ericsson, and from SAMENA Council Ms. Imme Philbeck, Dr. Mustafa Aykut, Mr. Roberto Ercole, and Mr. Izhar Ahmad, who provided initial roadmap of the discussions.
Mr. Bocar BA, CEO of SAMENA Council, expressed his happiness on the success of the Leaders' Summit and remarked that "This year's Leaders' Summit was especially important due to the direct support of the UAE's government, made possible through the TRA UAE's presence and participation, and the confidence given to SAMENA Council by HH Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan as the Guest of Honor and HE Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori as the Patron. As mentioned by SAMENA Council's Chairman Dr. Khaled Biyari, the expectation to draw useful value out of digital is among our greatest challenge and opportunities areas, and SAMENA Council is keen to playing its role in assisting the stakeholders realize such value for the common good. Participation from the public and the private sector leadership at the Leaders’ Summit has indicated that our governments and business leaders are aligned to embracing collective success through collective efforts."
The SAMENA Leaders’ Summit is an annual, discussion-centric private and government sector leaders' gathering, composed of various bi-lateral meetings held among stakeholders in a world-class setting. The next Leaders' Summit will be held in 2018, and event partnership opportunities for world-class industry players are open for coordinating and defining the future agenda of the Summit.