By : Bakinam Khaled – Amir Taha
e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group) has consolidated its position as the most valuable portfolio of telecom brands in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), according to the 2023 Brand Finance Global 500 Report released at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.
Highlighting its transformation efforts into a global technology and investment conglomerate, e& has achieved remarkable business growth and unwavering stakeholder confidence in 2022, with its portfolio of brands now exceeding a total value of US$14 billion.
This reflects the success of the Group's business strategy over the past year, which has introduced further improvements in customer service, more people-focused products and new digital services across its specialist business verticals.
etisalat by e&, the Group's largest telecom brand, also retained its position as the strongest telecom brands across all categories in the MEA region, achieving a score of 89.1 out of 100 and a AAA rating, according to the report. It was also rated one of the top three telecom brands in the world, due to its market reach, operational capabilities, and outstanding customer service record.
Hatem Dowidar, GCEO of e&, said the Group’s endorsement by the Brand Finance was both humbling and a worthy reflection of the UAE’s unstinting commitment to unlock economic growth and potential through its investment in state-of-the-art infrastructure and digital transformation.
"Guided by our 46-year legacy of pushing the boundaries of technology and service excellence, we have emerged as an inspiring global technology conglomerate; this international recognition makes us extremely proud," he said.
“We will continue to earn the trust of our customers and stakeholders by developing and innovating cutting-edge products and services that meet the needs of our 162 million subscribers in 16 countries across the Middle East, Asia and Africa," Dowidar added.
Dowidar said that e& had made significant strides in Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, and technologies supporting the emergence of the metaverse.
"As we help usher in the next wave of digital tech transformation, we will continue exploring new business models in the digital space. Our strategic priority is to drive new partnerships and investment opportunities that will accelerate the growth of all our business verticals.”
"With sustainability at the heart of everything we do, the e& ESG framework has become an integral part of the Group's business model. We have successfully created an ecosystem in which we operate, communicate and deliver our products and services to stakeholders and customers, enabling us to be a key player in the search for clean and green solutions. The Group's efforts were recently crowned by the declaration of e&’s net zero targets by 2030, marking a further step in confirming our commitment to reduce carbon emissions across our business and to step up our efforts for global climate action."
Etisalat Group changed its brand identity to e& in February 2022, as part of a wider strategy to accelerate resilient long-term growth. Successfully aligning all its business verticals and subsidiaries, e& raised its brand profile globally through impactful communications and international partnerships with such admired brands as Etihad Airways, the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix, Manchester City Football Club, and African football giants Al Ahly SC.
Commenting on e&’s ranking in this year’s report, David Haigh, CEO and Chairman of Brand Finance, said: “As the telecommunication industry faces commoditization, e& has taken bold steps to reposition its brand identity to unlock new opportunities. This transformation has enhanced the competences of e& to provide innovative digital-centric services that add to its journey as a global brand.”
Brand Finance is the world’s leading independent branded business valuation and strategy authority. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in 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.
