UAE telco Etisalat appoints new head of Asia ops

UAE telco Etisalat appoints new head of Asia ops

UAE telecoms operator Etisalat has appointed a top executive as its new chief regional officer for Asia, in the latest reshuffle at the former monopoly.

January 25, 2012 1:45 by Reuters

“That’s correct,” Jamal al Jarwan said on Tuesday, when asked if he had become Etisalat’s head of Asia operations, a newly created role. “I have already started.”

Jarwan was formerly chief international investments officer at the Gulf’s No. 1 telecom operator by market value.

Etisalat is active in 18 countries across Asia, Africa and the Middle East and analysts now expect it will create similar roles as Jarwan’s for the other two.

Etisalat’s African operations include licences in Egypt, Nigeria and Tanzania, while Asia includes India, Pakistan and Indonesia.

The firm’s footprint may be broad but it remains heavily dependent on its home market, with the United Arab Emirates providing three-quarters of revenue in the third quarter.

Other Gulf former monopolies have more diversified income — rival Qatar Telecommunications co derives just a fifth of revenue from its domestic market while Saudi Telecom’s home tally is about two-thirds — and Jarwan’s new role suggests Etisalat wants more from its foreign assets.

His appointment is the latest in a series of staff reshuffles at the Abu Dhabi-based company.

Last August, Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar became group chief executive while in December Daniel Ritz appointed chief strategy officer and Serkan Okandan group chief financial officer. Matthew Willsher joined as chief marketing officer last year. (Reporting by Matt Smith; Editing by Amran Abocar)