Zain Group Announces Two Senior Appointments
– Zain Jordan CEO Dr. Abdul Malek Al Jaber Appointed Zain Group Chief Operations Officer
– Zain Kuwait CEO Khalid Al Omar Named Zain Group Chief Technology Officer
Tuesday 15 March 2011
Zain Group, the leading network operator in the Middle East, has announced two senior appointments as part of the ongoing restructuring and consolidation process focusing on the growth of its cash generative regional operations. This is pursuant to the sale of its African assets in 2010 and the recent retirement of several executives.
Zain Jordan CEO Dr. Abdul Malek Al Jaber will also take on the additional key role of Zain Group Chief Operating Officer (COO), while Zain Kuwait CEO, Khalid Al Omar will, also in addition to his current post, take on the duties of Zain Group Chief Technology Officer (CTO), a position he previously held.
“I am pleased to announce the appointments of these two highly capable executives to key positions that will allow them to demonstrate the leadership and managerial skills that have defined their careers to date,” said Zain Group CEO Nabeel Bin Salamah. “I am confident that both will contribute to making Zain the lean and efficient corporate entity we envisage, one that can further enhance its leading positions in the competitive and lucrative telecom markets in which we operate.”
More on Dr. Abdul Malek Al Jaber
In addition to maintaining the CEO role of Zain Jordan, Dr. Abdul Malek Al Jaber brings his record of achievements in the Middle East telecommunications industry to his new role as Zain Group’s Chief Operating Officer. He joined Zain in July 2009 as CEO of Zain Jordan, where, over the last 18 months under his tutelage, the operation witnessed remarkable growth in both revenue and net profit and further enhanced its customer leadership, despite operating in a competitive landscape of 4 operators.
Previous to joining Zain, he was vice chairman and CEO of Palestine’s Paltel Group, from 2003, restructuring the company towards increased profits, sustained innovation and social responsibility in a very competitive and operationally arduous environment. He is a member of the Arab Business Council, the World Economic Forum, The Arab Technology Forum, The Young Presidents Organization and regional board member of the Young Arab Leaders Organization.
2010 was a defining year for Dr. Al Jaber, since he attained recognition from many prestigious spheres. He was recognized as one of the top five influential people in Palestine through a vote of 500,000 people, earning the prestigious Ma’an Certificate. Additionally, he was one of the top three business leaders nominated in the Outstanding Corporate Leader category in the Arab World as part of the Takreem Arab Achievement Awards. In October 2010, he was ranked 62nd in the top 100 most powerful people in the global telecom business by the internationally renowned and London based Global Telecoms Business Magazine. In November 2010, Dr. Al Jaber was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the leading regional telecom magazine, CommsMEA, in recognition of his contributions to the development of the telecommunications sector in the region.
More on Khalid Al Omar
Khalid Al Omar has been one of the stalwarts of the Zain executive management team for many years contributing to the company’s many recent milestone successes. He has been with the company for 25 years, joining Zain in December 1986, rising through the company’s ranks over the years holding various leading positions.
Mr. Al Omar was appointed CEO of Zain Group’s mother company Zain Kuwait in June 2010, earned as a result of his many accomplishments during his outstanding record of service to the company. Between November 2008 and June 2010, he held the key role of Chief Technology Officer of Zain Group overseeing all the Group’s telecommunication networks and technology strategy.
Previous to this appointment as CTO of Zain Group, he was Zain Kuwait’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), where he supervised the functioning of Networks, IT, customer care, sales and marketing departments through effective internal and external communications in a collaborative working environment in line with the company’s policies and procedures. Between the years 2003-2005, Al Omar was additionally (as well as being CTO of Zain in Kuwait) responsible for the implementation and launch of the Atheer project (Iraq), establishing a mobile network in the Southern region and in Baghdad, creating the largest microwave backbone in Iraq.
About Zain
Zain is a leading telecommunications operator across the Middle East providing mobile voice and data services to over 37.2 million active customers as of 31 December 2010 with a commercial presence in 7 countries. Zain operates in the following countries: Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. In Lebanon, the company manages ‘mtc-touch’ on behalf of the government. In Morocco, Zain has a 15.5% stake in Wana Telecom, now branded ‘INWI’, through a joint venture. Zain is listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (stock ticker: ZAIN).
For more information, please visit http://www.zain.com or email: info@zain.com
