Zain taps ex-wataniya chief as CEO
Saudi unit gains access to Vodafone technology
DUBAI, Dec 2, (Agencies): Kuwait’s Zain appointed Scott Gegenheimer as group chief executive on Sunday, the former monopoly said in a bourse statement, six months after he quit as CEO of rival telecom operator Wataniya.
Gegenheimer will start his new role immediately, Zain said, replacing Nabeel bin Salama, who in October announced he would step down as group CEO at the end of his contract in February 2013.
Gegenheimer joined Qatar Telecom (Qtel) subsidiary Wataniya in 2002, became CEO in 2008 and resigned from the company in June this year.
Kuwait is a lucrative telecom market, with its wealthy citizens heavy consumers of mobile data, but stiffening competition, tax changes and a lack of an independent regulator has darkened the sector’s outlook. RIYADH: Mobile Telecommunication Company Saudi Arabia “Zain KSA”, operator of the leading real LTE/ 4G network in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, reveals that it has activated several services and aspects of the strategic partner market agreement the company has recently signed with Vodafone, the world’s largest mobile telecommunications operator by revenue.
This agreement is set to enhance Zain KSA’s communication solutions portfolio
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Zain is the market leader with an estimated 41 percent share of the country’s mobile subscribers at 2011-end, also operating in Saudi Arabia, Sudan, South Sudan, Iraq, Bahrain, Lebanon and Jordan.
Wataniya is the No.2 operator, claiming 39 percent of Kuwait’s mobile subscribers. It also has units in Tunisia, Algeria, the Palestinian Territories, Saudi Arabia and the Maldives.
Saudi Telecom’s (STC) loss-making affiliate Viva is Kuwait’s third mobile operator. Viva has yet to list on Kuwait’s bourse more than four years after completing an initial public offering.
Also: and benefit its customers across all sectors, especially in the business sector. This comes after the two entities held several meetings and workshops that addressed the exchange of expertise across the various aspects set out in the partnership.
According to this agreement, Zain KSA’s business sector joins Vodafone Global Enterprise (VGE), a leading provider of business services serving over 1,400 multinational companies around the world. While serving as a single point of contact, VGE offers its customers communication solutions, communications expenditure tracking and procurement services. This helps save over 15% of the global business sector’s expenses, making Vodafone their preferred operator.
The move will enhance both Zain KSA and Vodafone’s ability to meet growing demand among multinational businesses based in the Saudi market, whose accounts are managed by Vodafone in international markets.
Fraser Curley, Chief Executive Officer of Zain KSA: “From the world’s most innovative operator with a presence in every technologically advanced market serving over 400 million customers. We see this partnership help us further develop the Saudi telecommunications industry and strengthen the Kingdom’s leadership role, as the largest and most sophisticated telecommunications hub in the Gulf region. This is an exciting period in Zain’s evolution and I strongly believe that - together with Vodafone - Zain will gain significant share in key market segments.”
Curley added: “The agreement will additionally enhance the business services portfolio offered to Zain customers and facilitate the exchange of expertise between the two parties, which is set to enrich our overall expertise in the Saudi market.”
Colin MacDougall, Vodafone Regional Director for Americas, Middle East and Africa said: “Our agreement with Zain KSA provides an opportunity for Vodafone to build our presence and work with a leading operator in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the largest telecommunications market in the Arabian Gulf and one of the fastest growing in the region. We will actively support Zain KSA wherever possible.”
This is Vodafone’s debut into the Saudi market, in a move that is set to open new doors for Zain KSA, operator of the Kingdom’s most up-to-date network. The agreement will give Zain KSA subscribers access to advanced services, voice and data roaming solutions across 51 countries within VGE’s footprint.