Ooredoo unfolds its growth strategy

DOHA: Ooredoo has held its annual Capital Markets Day that provided opportunity to key market participants to get an in-depth insight into company’s strategy for growth and its progress against ambitious targets for development. 
Waleed Al Sayed, Deputy CEO of Ooredoo Group, led the event, which saw presentations by Ooredoo’s heads of strategy, finance and strategic sourcing. Additionally, leaders of Ooredoo’s operations in Myanmar, Indonesia and Oman also provided updates on their respective markets. 
For the analysts and investors who took part, the event offered an important opportunity to meet with Ooredoo’s senior management and discuss the company’s strategy and key operational developments, as well as the changes impacting the wider industry. “We are pleased to showcase our track-record of success, impressive portfolio of telecom assets in growth markets, and experienced management team to the global financial community,” said Sheikh Saud bin Nasser Al Thani, Group CEO, Ooredoo. 
“By delivering excellent results at home in Qatar and across our global footprint, we are contributing to the growth of this industry and ensuring that our customers benefit from life-changing technologies,” he said. 
Ooredoo has delivered a positive performance in 2016, increasing its customer base by 14 percent to 130 million and recording revenue of QR16bn by the end of June 2016. The company’s Group EBITDA of QR6.5bn and its improved EBITDA margin of 41 percent in the same period demonstrated its continued improvement in operational performance. The company’s evolved strategy is designed to strengthen this position, by focusing on operational speed, execution excellence and performance/efficiency management. 
The company is seeing strong returns resulting from its unified Ooredoo brand, which is now present in eight out of 10 of Ooredoo markets and is the number one brand for brand health, according to a recent study by Brand Finance. In addition, Ooredoo has significantly grown its strength as a data company, offering 4G in 8 out of 10 markets and delivering QR6.2bn from data revenue for the six months to June 30, 2016. Both Qatar and Oman are now generating more than 50 percent of their revenue from data.
For some of the investors in attendance, the event was an opportunity to meet the new executives who have joined Ooredoo Group over the past 12 months. Ooredoo refreshed its leadership team at the end of 2015 and has brought in three new CEOs for its regional operations to help take Ooredoo through the next phase of its development.