ABU DHABI - Etisalat has been ranked as the world's strongest telecom brand and is the first in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region to achieve this milestone recognition by Brand Finance, the world's leading brand valuation authority.

With a telecom portfolio of well over US$12.5 billion, Etisalat retained not only its AAA brand rating but also its position in MEA as the strongest brand across all categories and the most valuable brand portfolio. These accolades underline the UAE's leadership position globally in its cutting-edge telecom infrastructure and strategic advances in digital transformation.

Speaking on the occasion, Hatem Dowidar, CEO of Etisalat Group, said, "To be recognised as the world's strongest telecom brand and as the most valuable telecom brand portfolio in MEA underline the success of our strategic initiatives to build a robust telecom infrastructure that creates added value for our customers wherever we serve. With our relentless focus on being customer-centric, we continue to push our horizons by investing in next-generation technology that enhances our service offering and helps shape the digital future."

He added, "In this digital-first era, our focus is to be agile to meet the evolving requirements of our customers and deliver relevant and flexible services. Since our inception in 1976, we have been led by a vision to create a world-class telecom infrastructure central to economic progress. We are inspired by the support and guidance of the UAE leadership to stay innovative and future-focused so that we can continue to empower communities and enrich lives." Brand Finance also named Etisalat Group CEO to the Elite List of Brand Guardians globally. This recognises the ground-breaking initiatives launched since he joined Etisalat in September 2015, which played a key role in propelling Etisalat's business growth.

Assuming the role of Group CEO in 2020, he stewarded the company's growth through the fast-changing telecom and technology landscape following the COVID-19 pandemic. His astute brand stewardship served as the foundation for enhancing Etisalat's brand reputation and employee engagement.

David Haigh, Chairman and CEO of Brand Finance, said, "Guided by the vision to 'drive the digital future to empower societies', Etisalat is the world's strongest telecoms brand of 2022, as well as retaining its status as the strongest brand in the Middle East and Africa for the second consecutive year.

"Etisalat's brand focuses on togetherness and plays its part by providing a first-class telecoms infrastructure across its footprint. Exceptional rollout of 5G technology has also meant that the Etisalat Group's portfolio of brands is the most valuable amongst telecoms organisations in the Middle East." With the UAE leading the world in fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) penetration rate, Etisalat's robust fibre-optic infrastructure enhances the customer experiences across all business operations. Etisalat raised the benchmark as the world's fastest network by delivering the best 5G experience at Expo 2020 Dubai as its official telecommunication and digital services partner, surpassing the expectations of millions of visitors.

Etisalat has built a dedicated network for Expo 2020, the first 5G commercial site in MENA with more than 8,000 Wi-Fi access points, 8,500 mobile access points, and 700 km of fibre-optic cable.

As the UAE celebrates its 50th anniversary, Etisalat has leveraged its 46 years of telecoms experience and its investment in telecom infrastructure to enable the progress of the people and business alike and support vital sectors such as healthcare and education especially following the pandemic. Through its 'Stay at Home' campaign, over one million students across the UAE completed their studies online seamlessly.

As the telecom sector continues to evolve at breakneck speed, Dowidar focuses on strengthening Etisalat's strategic role in empowering the communities it serves in global markets.

Etisalat's digital arm has already made great strides in its digital B2B services, particularly in cybersecurity, the Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud connectivity. Help Ag, Etisalat Enterprise Digital's cybersecurity arm, protects customers against identity theft and serve as an effective digital transformation vehicle.

Brand Finance is the world's leading independent branded business valuation and strategy authority. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in the City of London, it aims to 'bridge the gap between marketing and finance.' Brand Finance evaluates over 5,000 brands across all sectors and geographies every year. The 500 most valuable brands are included in the Brand Finance Global 500 report.

 

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