Batelco announced today that its fiber Speed Boost initiative has been extended till the end of February 2021, with Internet speeds being boosted for all Batelco fiber customers, at no...
A number of business owners have extended their appreciation to Batelco for the financial support towards their fixed internet cost for 3 months in a media report that was broadcasted...
Batelco has unveiled its latest business mobile packages in a complete refresh of its existing packages, targeted at business customers including entrepreneurs, SMEs and large corporations.
The new business mobile...
Batelco has announced the conclusion of the virtual STEM Leadership Summer Camp developed in support of youth across the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and leadership, held virtually for...
Since the inception of Manama-IX (MN-IX) in June 2019, the platform has experience continuously strong growth in traffic and data exchange, supporting its strategic agenda of becoming a leading internet...
Batelco recently announced its sponsorship of the Second Season of the Bahrain E-Sport Gran Turismo Championship, established by the Bahrain Motor Federation (BMF) and organized by the Bahrain Automobile Federation,...
General Manager IT
Karel joined Batelco in July 2020 in the role of General Manager of IT with the responsibility for creating business value through developing and operating of Batelco’s IT portfolio and delivering Digital transformation.
Karel has over 15 years of experience in the technology sector, which includes key roles in the telecommunications industry. Prior to joining Batelco, Karel was part of the Vodafone Czech Republic team in the role of Chief Information Officer and before that, he was responsible for Core IT digital transformation and delivery of strategic projects. His previous roles include senior positions in IT projects delivery, and leading major ERP implementations across various geographies in Europe.
Karel holds a Master’s degree in System Engineering & Informatics from VSB – Technical University of Ostrava, Czech Republic, and several professional certifications in the Agile and Project management domain.
Head Strategy Performance International Investments
Hosni Mahjoub, Head of Strategy & Performance, has wide expertise and experience in strategy development and execution as well as Corporate performance management. In a career of delivering excellence, he has contributed to the dynamic growth and industry impact of blue-chip companies through visionary ability to Invest, improve and implement strategies. With a comprehensive understanding of telecoms; ICT; retail and brands sectors, Hosni has enjoyed rapid career success and promotion. This capacity is demonstrated in the positions he has held which include Head of Group Strategy (Emirates International Telecommunications (EIT) and Head of Strategy and BI (T. Telecom). A portfolio of successful achievements testifies his ability to achieve targets, over-and-above expectation. As strategy consultant, he advised reputable institutions and companies such as African Development Bank and One Tech Group.
In his current position as Head of Strategy & Performance within the Batelco International Investment team, Hosni is handling activities related to strategy development and implementation as well as managing the Corporate performance management that supports continued improvement of the International business’s overall performance.
Hosni is a graduate of the Sorbonne University, France, and he has completed a number of certifications such as the Digital transformation at INSEAD school. Additionally, he obtained the social entrepreneurship award from the US government.
GM, M&A International Investments
Dr. Murad in his role as GM of Batelco’s International Investments continues to monitor opportunities that support the Company’s strategic initiatives for its overseas companies. Since joining Batelco in 1996 he has been predominantly responsible for identifying and leading inorganic M&A transactional activity in the telecom sector and other close adjacencies. Dr. Ghassan previously held the post of Chief Financial Officer for Batelco’s Bahrain operation from 2010 till 2013 and the position of Group General Manager, M&A from 2013 to 2019.
Prior to joining Batelco, Dr. Ghassan worked in the United Kingdom as a Research Associate at the University of Leicester carrying out theoretical and applied research in Control Engineering. His financial planning and modelling, Telecoms corporate finance, corporate valuation, M&A transactional experience and corporate strategy development over the years with the Batelco Group is complemented with a strong academic background.
He holds a Bachelor degree in Control Engineering, an MSc in Control Systems from the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine (London) and a PhD in Control Systems Theory from the University of Leicester (UK).
Real Estate International Investments
Shaikh Ahmed is responsible for Batelco’s large portfolio of properties associated with its international JV’s and affiliate companies outside of Bahrain. Prior to the current role, he held the post of General Manager of Human Resources for the Batelco Group.
Shaikh Ahmed joined Batelco as Senior Manager of Employee Relations in 1997 and from 1999 he added recruitment to his responsibilities. Being a team member in Project Get Ready in 2002 proved to be an invaluable learning curve for Shaikh Ahmed as issues not before applicable within the company were addressed. The experience widened his scope in the field of Human Resource Development and led to his appointment as acting General Manager of Human Resources in mid-2003. He became General Manager HR in mid 2004 and in January 2008 extended his role to include responsibility for the Batelco Group.
General Manager Consumer Division
Maitham Abdulla was appointed as General Manager of the Consumer Division in September 2020 to ensure the needs of Batelco’s consumers are met through the delivery of reliable connectivity and the latest digital products and services.
With wide experience gained over 15 years with Batelco, Maitham has demonstrated strong skills in telecom product management and development. His knowledge in business planning, mobile technology, fiber based products, Data Centers and content services will serve him well in meeting the needs of Batelco’s extensive customer base with a sharp focus on supporting their growing digital requirements.
Maitham has an MBA in Marketing & Business Management from Al-Ahlia University and a BSc in Management Information System from NYIT as well as a number of professional qualification in the telecommunication domain.
Chief Strategy Officer
Christopher Hild joined Batelco mid-2019 in the role of Chief Strategy Officer with the remit to drive the development and execution of a new strategy for Batelco following the separation of the Company and the spin-off of BNET.
With over 12 years of experience in strategy development and execution, Christopher’s previous roles include senior positions in strategy consulting, leading projects related to digital transformation, customer experience, topline growth, operational excellence and cost optimization, for a number of telecom operators in the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Asia. Prior to that, Christopher held senior Corporate Strategy roles with an international large-scale industrial company based in Germany, and additionally for Europe’s leading BPO provider, focusing on customer experience for telecom operators.
Christopher holds a BA in Public Management & Governance from Zeppelin University, Germany.
Chief Marketing Officer
As Chief Marketing Officer, Bilal Adham is focused on growing and maintaining Batelco’s presence in both the local market and wider region, through focused campaigns by implementing and leveraging streams such as CRM, Marketing Technology, Machine Learning, Branding and Media optimization.
Bilal is an Omni-channel customer marketer having always looked at the holistic picture of the customer. He has over 12 years of experience within e-commerce, retail, and telecoms and his extensive experience includes leading multi-disciplined, consumer-focused teams, with a focus on Data & Analytics, Digital Marketing, CRM, Customer Experience and Technology.
Prior to joining Batelco, Bilal worked for a number of International businesses, VC backed and privately owned such as Accenture and Landmark group. Additionally, he sat on customer advisory boards for global tech companies enabling first to market Digital commerce initiatives.
Bilal holds a BSc in Internet Business from the University of Westminster and is also a Chartered Marketer accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
Chief Technology & Information Officer
As Chief Technology and Information Officer (CTIO) Saurabh Gupta is responsible for Networks, IT and Cybersecurity and driving new Technology developments and capabilities throughout the Company, to deliver Digital Transformation.
Prior to joining Batelco, Saurabh worked with Vodafone for over eight years across UK, Germany and Czech Republic where he held the role of Chief Information Officer. Previously, Saurabh spent over 10 years with Unilever in India and the UK in a number of technology delivery and management roles. The extensive experience he gained across the diverse roles and geographies provides Saurabh with a wealth of relevant knowledge and expertise.
Saurabh holds a degree in Engineering from IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) Roorkee and did his post-graduate in Management at IIM (Indian Institute of Management) Ahmedabad. Additionally, he completed the Technology Excellence Programme from Imperial College Business School London.
Chief Digital Growth Officer
Shaikh Mohamed joined Batelco in January 2020 as the Company’s first Chief Digital Growth Officer with a remit to invest in and manage a portfolio of companies towards growing Batelco’s technology footprint across the MENA region, as well as to support in the development of Batelco’s digital journey.
Before joining Batelco, Shaikh Mohamed was Head of Strategic Projects, and of ICT Business Development at the Bahrain Economic Development Board where notable focus areas of his role revolved around public and private sector cloud adoption, Blockchain, startups and enhancing infrastructure development across the GCC.
Shaikh Mohamed holds a Bachelor’s degree in Politics from the American University, Washington DC and an MSC in Middle East Politics from the School of Oriental and African Studies, UK. He is also a Board member of the Bahrain Internet Exchange and an ambassador of the GBBC (Global Blockchain Business Council).
General Manager Network
Rashid Mohamed was appointed to the role of General Manager Networks Division in June 2019; his responsibilities include overseeing the continuous development of Batelco Networks to deliver the latest digital technologies and ensure superior service quality. Rashid is a qualified Bahraini engineer with more than 14 years’ experience in the telecommunication field. Since joining Batelco as a Network Engineer in 2005, he has steadily progressed through the organization holding a number of key management positions in various areas including Mobile Network development, Fixed Network Operations as well as leading the Strategy role for Network and IT.
He holds a Master’s degree in Engineering & Management from Northumbria University, UK, and a BSc in Electronics & Communication Engineering from Napier University, UK, as well as a number of professional qualification in the telecommunication domain.
General Counsel
Noora Sulaibeekh is a qualified Bahraini lawyer specialized in Telecom, Media and Technology and currently holds the roles of General Counsel and Board Secretary of Batelco.
Noora, who joined Batelco in 2009, has over 10 years of international experience in providing legal services in the telecom industry.
Her qualifications include a Master’s degree in International Relations and Sustainable Development Law from Paris Sorbonne University.
Chief Human Resources Officer
Faisal Al-Jalahma is responsible for developing Batelco’s HR strategy with a focus on employee centricity and transforming Batelco to be Bahrain’s employer of choice. Faisal began his career with Batelco as a graduate trainee in the HR Department where he gained wide experience and knowledge of all aspects of the HR field. Having worked at Batelco prior to and following the introduction of competition, and being involved in major projects related to key operational changes, greatly broadened Faisal’s skills.
In 2012, Faisal moved to the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), held various roles and last was the Director of Finance, Information Technology and Human Resources. The role included transformational HR projects to digitalise and automate the support function processes at the TRA including in HR and Finance. The diverse scope of his role prepared him well for his return to Batelco. Faisal holds an MBA from the University of Strathclyde, UK and several executive qualifications from Harvard Business School and Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
GM Corporate Communications & CSR
As General Manager of Corporate Communications & CSR, Shaikh Bader leads the Public Relations and CSR teams to build trust and raise awareness of Batelco as a leading national digital provider, through informed communications and strengthening relationships with the community via relevant programmes.
Prior to his current role Shaikh Bader held a number of management roles including Head of Corporate Communications & Marketing and Head of Human Resources, building up broad experience across various areas including the provision of effective Human Resources, Training and Organizational Development solutions, Marketing Communications and Brand. His previous experience gained with another of Bahrain’s leading organisations, ALBA, includes indebt knowledge of diverse fields including Organisational Development, PR and Internal Communications. Shaikh Bader holds a BA in Business Administration and Master of Science in Management from Boston University, USA.
Chief Global Business Officer
Adel Daylami as Chief Global Business Officer drives and promotes the professional business relationships with customers, partners, carriers and Batelco’s joint venture partners and designs customised solutions for Batelco’s global clients across its many geographic, legislative and compliance environments.
Since joining Batelco in 1989 Adel has held various roles including General Manager Enterprise Division, General Manager Products & Services, Director International Operation & Business Marketing and CEO Batelco Jordan. Additionally, he holds the role of Managing Director of Batelco Egypt. Among Adel’s many key achievements he was a key player in setting up Broadband Bahrain and ICT & Network Rationalization Strategies and he managed the launch and successful implementation of Batelco’s Internet Services.
He holds a Master’s in Business Administration, Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing and a BSc in Electrical & Electronics Engineering.
GM Enterprise Division
Abderrahmane Mounir, as GM of Enterprise, oversees the sales, marketing and operations for the corporate, government and SME segments. His mission is to drive the growth and development of products and solutions for business customers to support their evolving needs and their digital transformation Initiatives.
Prior to his role as GM Enterprise and since joining the Company in March 2016, Abderrahmane held the roles of CMO, leading the product development, and COO in charge of the enterprise and consumers sales and operations. With over 20 years’ experience in the telecommunications industry, Abderrahmane’s previous roles include executive vice-president in charge of the enterprise and wholesale segments at Orange Morocco and 10 years with Cisco Systems.
Abderrahmane holds an engineering degree in Telecommunication from INPT Morocco and a Master’s of Science in Computer and Electrical Engineering from Wichita State University, Kansas, USA.
Chief Financial Officer
Faisal Qamhiyah was appointed as Batelco Chief Financial Officer in May 2019, having served as CFO for the Group since 2013. Prior to Batelco, Faisal held the role of CFO at Umniah, Batelco’s sister operation in Jordan. His wealth of experience includes unique mixes of commercial and financial hands-on proven experience coupled with a passion for the telecom industry. Furthermore, Faisal is currently representing Batelco as a Board Member for some of its international operations in addition to the responsibility of financial consolidation, treasury, Business Planning and strategic support for the international business.
Faisal holds a BA in Economics & Accounting from Yarmouk University Jordan and passed the AICPA exams from Delaware USA in 1999. He also completed the Executive Development Programme (EDP) at Kellogg School of Management, Chicago USA and various executive leadership programmes at prestigious institutes including the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Harvard Business School and London Business School. Faisal is Co-founder and Board of Directors’ member of Jordan Association of Management Accountants (JAMA).
Head of Internal Audit
Buddhadeb Samanta was appointed as Head of Internal Audit in September 2019. His responsibilities include leading the Internal Audit department to assess effectiveness of internal controls, efficiency of business processes across all functions and governing the implementation of the organization-level risk management framework and systems.
He has nearly 20 years of experience in the telecommunication industry and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Batelco. With a proven track record in his field, Buddhadeb has established the Internal Audit functions for mobile operators in Indonesia, Dubai and India. Among his previous roles, he served for four years as Chief Internal Auditor of Smartfren Telecom (Indonesia), held a number of roles over seven years with Du Telecom (Dubai) including the post of Director Internal Audit, and additionally worked in various roles over ten years in India with Tata Teleservices, Vodafone and Price Waterhouse Coopers.
Director
Mr. Ali Saqer Alnoaimi was appointed on the Batelco Board of Directors as a Non–Executive Independent Director on 31 March 2020 as a representative of Amber Holdings until the end of term.
Mr. Alnoaimi is a military officer with the rank of Major General in Bahrain Defense Force. He graduated from the Military College, Kuwait, in November 1978. He joined various military courses in and out of Bahrain, including the Command and General Staff college (CGSC) in Leavenworth, KS 1989-1990.
Mr. Alnoaimi has held various positions in the BDF during his 42-year tenure.
He held the position of a commandant of Isa Royal Military College, Bahrain in 1998.
In 2003 he was appointed as Director of Logistics & Supplies in BDF. Mr. Alnoaimi has also been involved in sporting initiatives and has been a golf player for over 30 years. He was a Bahrain Golf National team player, a former Vice President of Arab golf association, a former President of GCC Organizing committee and currently holds the position of President of Bahrain Golf Association since 2017. He is also the Deputy Chairman of the Military consumer and economic associations.
Furthermore, Maj. Gen Ali is a Board Member at BNET (Bahrain).
Committee Memberships: Audit Committee.
Director
Mr. Abdulrahman is a former investment banker, with 18 years of experience in Investment Banking, Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity, gained from working with leading financial institutions in Bahrain & UK. He has served on the board of over 40 companies globally, including Bahrain Financing Company (“BFC”), and has held a number of board positions which include chairmanships to the board and chairmanships of Investment committees.
He is currently the Founder & Managing Partner of Clan Partners Advisory, a Bahrain based boutique advisory firm; and serves as an independent board member of Native Land Investment in the UK, and as a Director at Beacon Capital Management.
Prior to founding Clan Partners, Mr. Abdulrahman served as the CEO and Managing Director of Beacon Capital Management, a boutique Private Equity and Asset Management firm out of London. He also served as the Head of Private Equity for GCC, Levant and Turkey at Bank Al Khair (formerly known as Unicorn Investment Bank). Prior to joining Bank Al Khair, he was a Relationship Manager at Ahli United Bank – Offshore Unit and was also a Relationship Manager at Kuwait Finance House – Bahrain in the Corporate Finance and Venture Capital department. He started his career at BDO Jawad Habib as an analyst in the Financial Advisory Services unit. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree (Hons) in Business Systems & Information Technology from University of Northumbria, Newcastle.
Furthermore, he is a Board Member and Chairman of the Audit Committee in Dhiraagu Telecommunications Company (Maldives).
Committee Membership: Executive Committee.
Director
Ms. Fatema Al-Arayedh was appointed on the Batelco Board of Directors as a Non–Executive Dependent Director at the AGM in 2020 as a representative of Mumtalakat Holding Company for a period of 3 years.
Ms. Al-Arayedh is an attorney at the law firm of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP in London. Her legal practice focuses on corporate and financial transactions, including advising private equity fund sponsors, sovereign wealth funds and institutional investors on their investment management arrangements. Ms. Al-Arayedh also has experience in a wide range of acquisition finance, project finance and other corporate finance transactions, including leveraged buyouts in the telecommunications and information technology sectors.
Prior to London, Ms. Al-Arayedh practiced law at the offices of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP in New York. She holds a B.A. with honours in Political Science from Yale University and a J.D. from Columbia Law School, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. She is admitted to the Bar in New York.
Ms. Al-Arayedh has additionally worked on economic development projects at the Clinton Foundation in New York and at the Economic Development Board in Bahrain.
Committee Membership: Remuneration, Nomination, Donation and Corporate Governance Committee.
Director
Mr. Abdulla Bukhowa was appointed on the Batelco Board of Directors as a Non–Executive Dependent Director at the AGM in 2020 as a representative of the Social Insurance Organization (SIO) for a period of 3 years.
Mr. Bukhowa is the Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank, Bahrain, established in 1920 as the first bank in the country and the Arabian Gulf region. Mr. Abdulla holds a Bachelor of Business from the University of Texas, USA.
Previously, Mr. Bukhowa held the role of Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank Qatar from January 2017 to March 2019. He was responsible for leading and implementing the overall strategy of the Bank.
Mr. Bukhowa joined Standard Chartered Bank in September 2010 as Bahrain’s Country Head of Global Markets and co-Head of Wholesale Bank. In December 2014 he was given the responsibility for leading both the Financial Markets and Corporate and Institutional Banking segments.
Mr. Bukhowa has over 20 years of experience which includes being Head of Portfolio Management at the Central Bank of Bahrain, and roles at Reuters and Bahrain Telecommunications Company. He is currently a Board member in the Bahrain Association of Banks.
Committee Membership: Deputy Chairman of the Audit Committee.
Director
Mr. Khalid Taqi has been serving on the Board since January 2019, as a representative of the Social Insurance Organization (SIO). He was re-appointed at the AGM in 2020 as a Non- Executive Independent Director for a period of 3 years.
Mr. Taqi graduated from Concordia University, Montreal – Canada, with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance. He also completed his Master’s degree in Finance from DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business. In addition, he completed a number of executive training programmes in the London Business School, NYU Stern and INSEAD.
Mr. Taqi has over 13 years of experience and began his career with the Transaction Advisory Services Team at Ernst & Young – Bahrain. During his tenure at Ernst & Young, he was exposed to a variety of different industries including Real Estate, Banking, Construction and Telecom. Mr. Taqi joined Osool Asset Management in 2013, his current mandate is to manage Osool’s strategic investments in both listed and non-listed companies.
He currently serves on the board of Gulf Hotels Group and is a member of their Investment and Audit committees. He is also a Board member in BNET (Bahrain). Previously, he was a board member in Esterad Investment Company until December 2018.
Committee Membership: Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee, Remuneration, Nomination, Donation and Corporate Governance Committee.
Director
Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa has been serving on the Board since June 2018, as a representative of Amber Holdings Company. He was re-appointed at the AGM in 2020 as a Non-Executive Independent Director for a period of 3 years.
Shaikh Ali graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from The George Washington University, D.C., USA, and earned a Master in Business Administration from DePaul Graduate programme at the BIBF, Bahrain. He earned a Master of Arts in Defense Studies from King’s College, London.
He joined the Bahrain Defense Force in June 1996 and currently holds the rank of Colonel. He has held various positions within the organization during his 23-year tenure.
Shaikh Ali has also been involved in the Kingdom’s sporting initiatives over the years and holds various committee positions including President of Bahrain Football Association, Member of Asian Football Association Executive Committee, Member of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, President of Bahrain Cycling Association and Member of FIFA Competitions Committee.
Additionally, Shaikh Ali is the Chairman of BNET (Bahrain).
Committee Membership: Audit Committee.
Director
Mr. Jean Christophe Durand has been serving on the Board since March 2017. He was elected by the shareholders at the AGM in 2017 and re-elected at the AGM in 2020, as a Non-Executive Independent Director, for a period of 3 years.
Mr. Durand is the Chief Executive Officer of National Bank of Bahrain and has over 39 years of banking and finance experience. He graduated from ESSEC (Ecole Superieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales), French Business School in Paris. Mr. Durand was the Regional Head of BNP Paribas Middle East & Africa region for Corporate and Institutional Banking and Asset Management for 15 years. He joined Banque Indosuez in Bahrain in 1989 in the Investment Banking division in charge of the coverage in several GCC countries. He later moved to BNP Paribas in 2000 entrusted with the mission to expand the Investment Banking business regionally and was instrumental in establishing BNP as one of the key financial institutions in the region, opening new branches in several GCC countries and Africa. Under his tenure, BNP Paribas managed several major regional transactions in the telecommunications sector. Mr. Durand is Officer of the “Legion d’Honneur” awarded by the Government of France.
Mr. Durand has been serving on the Board of several professional committees in Bahrain and the region. He was a Board Member of a retail Bank of the BNP Paribas Group.
He is currently a Board Member of Gulf Air, Bahrain Islamic Bank and the Chairman of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Bahrain. He is also the Chairman of Umniah Telecommunications Company (Jordan).
Committee Membership: Chairman of the Audit Committee.
Deputy Chairman
Mr. Raed Fakhri has been serving on the Board since March 2014, as a representative of Mumtalakat Holding Company. He was re-appointed at the AGM in 2020 as a Non-Executive Independent Director, for a period of 3 years.
Mr. Fakhri is Mumtalakat’s Vice President of Investments since March 2013 and has over 25 years of experience in various sectors. He holds an Executive MBA from the University of Bahrain, and Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering Technology from the University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA.
Prior to his current role, Mr. Fakhri co-founded BDI Partners in 2010 and headed the firm as Managing Director. He spent 3 years with Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC) as a Control Systems Engineer and Project Engineer. Prior to that, Mr. Fakhri was with Batelco for 9 years and served as Senior Manager in the New Business Development Unit, responsible for start-ups and mergers and acquisitions. Additionally, he spent 3 years at Capivest Investment Bank, heading the Investment Department. Currently, Mr. Fakhri is a Board Member at Investrade, BDI Partners, Cranemere Group, Gulf Air Group and Bahrain Duty Free Company.
Committee Membership: Chairman of the Executive Committee, Deputy Chairman of the Remuneration, Nomination, Donation and Corporate Governance Committee.
