Ooredoo Group: Innovation, integrity and social responsibility mean ‘the sky is the limit’

Transcript

Ooredoo is one of the world’s largest mobile telecommunications companies, with over 164 million customers across 12 countries. Hilal Mohammed Al Khulaifi if Ooredoo’s Group Chief Legal, Regulatory and Governance Officer; he explains how the company’s governance has evolved it has grown, its commitment to sustainability, and what the “DNA of Ooredoo” means for its future.

World Finance: Ooredoo is one of the world’s largest mobile telecommunications companies, with over 164 million customers across 12 countries. I’m with Hilal Mohammed Al Khulaifi; Ooredoo’s story is one of real rapid regional expansion – how has your governance changed and evolved as you’ve grown into country after country?

Hilal Mohammed Al Khulaifi: Well expanding into multiple countries has been an exciting journey for Ooredoo. But it’s also posed some challenges in terms of governance.

To ensure uniformity while allowing local execution, we adapted a centralised framework. This means that core governance principles remain the same, but there is flexibility to adapt to local regulations and cultural norms.

To get diverse perspectives, we expanded our board to include experts with international experience. We also rely on state-of-the-art technology for real-time monitoring across different markets.

Moreover, stakeholder engagement is crucial to us, and we strive to interact closely with local governments, communities, and NGOs.

World Finance: How is Ooredoo working to become more sustainable – both financially and environmentally?

Hilal Mohammed Al Khulaifi: Sustainability is a core value for Ooredoo.

We are taking steps to diversify our revenue by adding digital services like cloud computing and IoT, and traditional telecoms services.

We have a well-defined risk-assessment strategy to mitigate any market instability.

To reduce our impacts on the environment, we are working towards reducing our carbon footprint. We are increasing our usage of renewables to power our data centres, and implementing effective e-waste management programmes.

Our aim is to make a positive contribution, not just to our balance sheet, but also to the planet.

World Finance: And looking forward, what are your hopes and ambitions for the company?

Hilal Mohammed Al Khulaifi: Looking ahead, the sky is the limit. I see Ooredoo becoming a market leader in every country we operate – not just in numbers, but also in customer satisfaction and innovation.

The digital transformation is in full swing, and we want to be the go-to digital solutions provider for both consumers and businesses.

Sustainability will remain a cornerstone, with a goal to become a zero-carbon company by 2030.

We also want to make sure that our workforce is as diverse and inclusive as the market we serve.
Our guiding principles remain customer focus, innovation, integrity, and social responsibility. These aren’t just words; they are the DNA of Ooredoo.