Telecom leaders to meet in Doha to debate investment opportunities

DOHA, QATAR & LONDON, UK: Chief executives from Qtel, Etisalat, Saudi Telecom, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone, Tata Communications and other leading operators will meet to debate strategy and M&A at the opening session of the much anticipated TMT Finance & Investment MiddleEast event in Doha on April 26-27.

Karim Sabbagh, Global Practice Leader for Telecoms, at management consultancy Booz & Company, will chair the Telecom Leadership Round Table which opens the annual conference for telecom and technology executives, investors, bankers and advisers. The debate traditionally sets the corporate and investment agenda for the year ahead, by highlighting key strategy and opportunities in international and local markets.

Speakers this year include Akil Beshir, Chairman and CEO, Telecom Egypt; Ali Alahmed, Chief Strategy Officer, Etisalat; Vinod Kumar, President & COO, Tata Communications; Ghassan Hasbani, CEO, STC International; Grahame Maher, CEO, Vodafone Qatar; and Dr Hessa Al Jaber, Secretary General, ictQatar; with others to be announced shortly.

2010 is pivotal for telecom operators emerging from recessionary conditions and seeking further growth. Key themes for debate for the Telecom Leadership Round Table this year include:

• Will M&A see a revival in 2010 and beyond?
• How will strategic investments be funded in the post-recession era?
• What are the areas of innovation that operators could pursue?
• How can operators effectively transform their cost structures and release cash to fuel investments?
• How can operators integrate their international operations and realize synergies?

“Four imperatives will come into even greater focus in 2010 for operators: revive growth momentum, accelerate innovation in services, harvest broadband potential and transform cost structures,” commented Karim Sabbagh. “Operators will need to develop the right capabilities to address these, if they are to continue growing in all their markets.”