DUBAI, UAE:  Following its recent acquisition of Virgin Mobile Middle East and Africa (VMMEA), Beyond ONE™, the TMT-sector (technology, media, telecommunications) investment and operations company, has announced the appointment of Nisreen Shocair as Chief Executive Officer for Middle East and Africa. 

Overseeing both Virgin Mobile and Friendi Mobile brands in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait, Shocair will be responsible for driving and developing the next phase of the organisation.

A bold and seasoned leader spanning geographies and sectors, Shocair has built a career at the intersection of technology, entertainment, fashion, retail and sustainability in United States, UK, Germany and the Middle East.  Most recently, she was CEO of YOOX NET-A-PORTER Group in the Middle East.  Prior to that, she led the launch of a live streaming shopping network on MBC, the largest media company in the MENA region, a first-mover in shoppable digital content.  As President of Virgin Megastore for MENA, Shocair led the organisation’s radical transformation across nine markets.  She has also held leadership positions at Viacom, Sony Music, Bertelsmann AG and Hearst.

Group CEO of Beyond ONE, Markus Tagger said: “Nisreen is a future-forward thinker and leader with a track record of successful cross-sector transformation and business growth.  We are delighted to be working with her as leader on Beyond ONE Middle East and Africa, and our first of many acquisitions in growth markets around the world.”

Of her appointment at Beyond ONE, Shocair said: “The number of women leading large tech companies remains a rounding error. With Beyond ONE, we will bring more visibility to the industry for tech talent and entrepreneurs, especially women, both regionally and globally.

“We are an equal opportunity employer with a clear vision focused on cultivating and growing talent across multiple sectors and categories - beyond just one telco, beyond just one region and beyond just one vertical.  I’m excited to realise a vision that brings creativity, community and connectivity together, while maintaining a great experience, greater personalisation, and even greater hyper-localisation.”

VMMEA, a pioneer MVNO in the Middle East has enjoyed considerable success since it was founded in 2006, today serving more than three million users in multiple GCC countries and operating a profitable, industry-leading digital communication platform for both its Virgin Mobile and Friendi Mobile operations. 

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For more information, please contact:
Ramzi Alabras
media@Beyond.One
www.beyond.one

About Beyond ONE™

Beyond ONE is a digital services provider radically reshaping the personalised digital ecosystems of consumers in emerging markets around the world.  We put people at the centre of everything we think and do, to create hyper-customised digital experiences that improve their lives and create a more inclusive, colourful and connected world for everyone. A subsidiary of private global investment company Priora Management Holding Dubai, Beyond ONE is headquartered in Dubai, and through its investments, operates in a number of countries around the world. Find out more at www.beyond.one

About Virgin Mobile Middle East and Africa

Virgin Mobile Middle East & Africa is part of the Virgin family group of companies. Virgin Mobile Middle East & Africa is responsible for all Virgin Mobile operations in the Middle East and Africa region, and is headquartered in Dubai, UAE. It has been in the region since 2009 and operates the two consumer brands of Virgin Mobile and FRiENDi Mobile. Partnering with telecoms operators, the Virgin Mobile Middle East & Africa team provides customers with innovative products and packages designed to make their mobile experience better. Virgin Mobile Middle East & Africa believes in having great people, and the management team is made up of senior level team members from a variety of successful regional and global mobile operators, as well as from MVNOs.    

About Virgin Group

The Virgin Group is a leading international investment group and one of the world’s most recognised and respected brands. Created in 1970 with the birth of Virgin Records, the Virgin Group has gone on to invest in, incubate, and grow a number of successful businesses in the private and public markets. The Virgin Group has expanded into many sectors since its inception, driven by Sir Richard’s ambition to create the world’s most irresistible brand. These sectors include travel & leisure, financial services, health & wellness, technology & internet-enabled, music & entertainment, media & mobile, space, and renewable energy. Avoiding the impacts of climate change is a key priority for the Virgin branded businesses and we believe that all Virgin branded companies should achieve net zero emissions by 2050 or sooner. Find out more at www.virgin.com.