UAE’s Etisalat Group has unveiled a new brand identity – e& – marking the transformation ambitions of the telecommunication giant into a global technology and investment conglomerate.
The new brand identity was launched on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi by Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
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Commenting on the launch, Sheikh Mansour emphasized the importance of capitalizing on opportunities that the fast-evolving business landscape continues to present in the age of technological disruption. He commended the efforts of e& in devising a more progressive business model that sustains its hypserscaling ambitions, promotes new ventures and partnerships, and maximises value across its operations.
“The transformation of e& from a telecom company founded more than four decades ago in the UAE into a global influence in digitalization highlights its role in upholding the UAE’s sustainable economic development and diversification plans,” Sheikh Mansour said.
“We commend e& for being the national champion that steers its global digitalization leadership through pioneering advanced technologies, advancing ICT infrastructures, and fuelling geographic expansions while unlocking value.”
The launch of the new brand identity for Etisalat Group was attended Mohammad Bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Mohamed Bin Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, and Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Alzaabi, Chairman of e&.
The new brand strategy
The new brand strategy is aimed at accelerating growth through the creation of a resilient business model that is representing the Group’s main business pillars: Telecom, e& life, e& enterprise, and e& capital.
Telecom will retain the previous branding identity while upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the Group’s strong telecoms infrastructure and maximising value for its customer segments, in the UAE and internationally.
In addition, it will expand into new geographic markets while continuing to drive operational performance in the 16 markets where it operates.
e& life is focused on enhancing customer delight by becoming an integral part of the lives of its customers. The business pillar has already made robust plans to deliver next-generation technologies and digital experiences that will bring the world to the customers’ fingertips through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial services.
e& enterprise will be the driving force behind the digital transformation of governments, corporates and enterprises. Through its breakthrough technology solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects, e& enterprise will create real business value as it continues to leverage on its expertise as a digital managed company having the strength and reach of a global trusted partner.
Maximising shareholder value while strengthening global presence is key to the e& strategy to empower societies. e& capital will act as a pillar for growth for the Group as it drives new acquisitions and mergers in line with its vision for investing in ideas that make the future.
The evolution e& comes at the heels of the Group’s strong financial performance as well as several milestones that contributed to the transformation.
More recently, e& ranked first in the Forbes MENA Top 10 most valuable listed companies in the UAE. The Group was also named the strongest telecoms brand in the world.
Accumulating success year on year has taken place in light of the considerable investments the Group has made in maintaining its 5G network prowess, investing in breakthrough technologies, aggressive market penetrations, deploying megaprojects, driving smarter connectivity, and pursuing strong partnerships.
A new era
Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Alzaabi, Chairman of e&, said, “This is a milestone in the history of the Group, and a new era where we reaffirm our commitment to deliver outstanding customer experiences and maximise value for our shareholders. To ensure that the next chapter of our journey is a success, we made the decision to realign our business model so that we can stay agile and fit for the future.”
"We are now ready to be the future-focussed nexus that will drive more positive change for our customers and shareholders through our robust expertise,” he added.
Commenting on the launch of the new brand and its transformation strategy, Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO of e& said, “The digitalisation acceleration during the pandemic offered a new realm of opportunities for us to serve our customers better as they seek more seamless and enhanced digital experiences.
“We are keen to contribute to a knowledge-based economy that will digitally empower societies as we move forward with our mission to pioneer next-generation technologies, build breakthrough partnerships and create a new world powered by all of us.”
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