Jordan ICT Minister inaugurates Zain Technology Conference
Zain Group, a leading mobile telecom innovator across eight markets in the Middle East and Africa, announces the successful commencement of its sixth annual Zain Technology Conference (ZTC) yesterday at Le Royal hotel in Amman, Jordan.
Held under the patronage of the Prime Minister of Jordan, Dr Hani AlMulki, the conference was inaugurated by the Minister of Information and Communication Technology, and Minister of Public Sector Development, Majd Shweikeh who made an inspiring keynote address that was appreciated by all present. The theme of ZTC 2016 is ‘Moving Forward’, and will focus on Zain’s strategy execution as it continues to transform into a digital lifestyle provider of the highest caliber, investing extensively in network and technology upgrades to ensure its individual and enterprise customers receive the best and simplest digital mobile experience.
The event saw the attendance of over 700 telecom professionals made up of Zain technology, innovation and product development personnel from across its eight operations as well as representatives from 60 of the world’s leading technology solution providers. Also in attendance was the President of the Jordan Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, Dr Ghazi Jbour; Zain Group CEO, Scott Gegenheimer; Zain Jordan CEO, Ahmad Al-Hanandeh; and Zain Group CTO, Hisham Allam.
In her opening keynote address, Majd Shweikeh said, “The holding of this important conference in Jordan by Zain Group, a regional telecom pioneer, reflects the Kingdom’s success in the global digital arena and its ever-increasing attraction as a regional hub for digital innovation. Jordan recognizes the importance of the ICT sector as a key driver of economic activity, and this conference’s ability to showcase the latest digital innovations will support our strategy and transition to become a knowledge-based, digital economy.”
She continued, “Over the last decade, Zain has played an instrumental role in bringing the latest technologies to Jordan and across the region, and we recognize the importance of both the public and private sector working closely together to fully exploit the potential of digitization for the benefit of society at large.”
The opening session also saw keynote presentations made by Zain’s primary technology partners, Ericsson, Huawei, and Nokia, each of which showcased their strategic technology offerings in support of Zain’s digital transformation aspirations. In addition, renowned consulting firms Detecon and Strategy and made presentations focusing on the experiences of global operators in their digital transformation journey. The keynote address presented by Fadi Ghandour, the Co-Founder of courier company Aramex and Executive Chairman of WAMDA Capital was well received and set the tone for the rest of the conference.
Innovation
Highlighting the significance of the event being held in Jordan and the importance of innovation to the company’s overall strategy, Zain Group CEO, Scott Gegenheimer said, “Jordan is an appropriate backdrop in which to host ZTC 2016, given the emphasis on innovation that is driven from the Zain operation in the country, notably the Zain Innovation Campus (ZINC), and from which digital ideas are being injected into the Group in order to deliver unique digital mobile experiences for our customers.”
The CEO continued, “I would like to extend a special thank you to the Prime Minister’s Office, as well as the Office of Information and Communication Technology, and of Public Sector Development for their unwavering support of our efforts and the creation of an enabling environment in which we are able to continue deploying cutting edge technology.”
Gegenheimer concluded, “We operate in a highly competitive industry, where the margin between success and failure is very thin. We are required to push ourselves constantly, and together with trusted partners we devise new operating models to deliver the best quality service to customers. This is why events such as ZTC are so important in aligning Zain’s ambitions to become a digital lifestyle provider of choice with our technology partners’ technology roadmaps and expectations.”
Zain is utilizing the latest technologies in the development of tailored solutions in areas such as Machine to Machine (M2M) communications, Enterprise (B2B) offerings, and Smart City connectivity, in attracting and offering its customers unique and business enhancing mobile solutions.
“I would like to welcome all delegates to ZTC 2016 and to Jordan. There are numerous groundbreaking developments taking place in this market and over the coming days we look forward to detailing some of them with you. We hope you take this opportunity to network and exchange knowledge, and the desire is for you to leave the event reinvigorated by the prospects that lie ahead,” said Ahmad AlHanandeh, Zain Jordan CEO.
Hisham Allam, Zain Group CTO said, “We are always enthusiastic to bring our community of technology partners together to discuss industry developments in the context of Zain’s plans, strategy, and ambitions, and we are excited about this year’s event. The converged communications space is an environment in constant flux, and the ability to take stock as well as peer ahead is crucial to succeeding now and into the future. I hope all participants grasp this opportunity.”
ZTC 2016 will comprise seven streams, which extend to Smart Networks; Core Evolution; BSS and OSS; Digital Future; IT Evolution; Quality of Experience; Service Innovation; and Energy Efficiency and Site Optimization, with Zain’s three main technical partners - Huawei, Ericsson, and Nokia offering technical sessions at the ZINC.
A live stream of the opening and major presentations of the event is being provided to 7,000 staff across all Zain Group country operations. The conference is being comprehensively covered live on Zain’s social media channels covering many aspects of the event and a dedicated website https://event.zain.com has been established.