During Day 1 of the Telecom Review Leaders’ Summit, experts took to the stage for a panel entitled “Digital Transformation Is Happening – The New Connectivity.”
The panel focused on how digital transformation is currently being converted into reality; the role of governments in promoting a digital lifestyle; rural broadband implementation; the role of NGSO satellites in accelerating digital transformation; how satellite operators fit into the digital transformation game; when digital transformation will happen completely across the world; and future visions.
The panel moderator was Zayan Sadek, SP director, Cisco Systems ME, with the panelists being Deepak Winston, director, digital and emerging tech, EY; Dr. Bilel Jamoussi, chief of the study groups department, ITU; Daniel Kjellander, VP of Middle East, CSG; Imran Malik Khan, senior vice president, global sales, networks, SES; Yehia Sefraoui, director of digital transformation, inwi; and Stephen Rose, global GM of telecommunications industry, IBM.
Digital transformation has seen a tremendous acceleration, equivalent to about six years, in a short period of time due to COVID, explained Dr. Jamoussi. Yet, Malik highlighted that without connectivity at its heart, this digital transformation would not have been possible.
In this context, Sefraoui stated that inwi has always tried to put innovation first in all of its activities. Kjellander, from his perspective, added that not only does innovation have to be prioritized, but “putting the customer right in the center is what needs to happen.”
Finally, Rose believes that there must be a way to incentivize across the value chain. So he asked an open question to leave the audience thinking: How do we run a business that is supportive and transformative?
