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BY DESIGN chaosA Zain Magazine | November 2008 Issue 05 ROCKING ACROSS A CONTINENT: AFRICA REBRANDS ENTERINGENTERING THETHE KINGDOM:KINGDOM: LAUNCHINGLAUNCHING ININ SAUDISAUDI ARABIAARABIA •• ACEACE ININ JORDAN:JORDAN: AIMINGAIMING FORFOR THETHE MOONMOON WITHWITH NEILNEIL ARMSTRONGARMSTRONG •• TECHNOLOGYTECHNOLOGY SAVESSAVES AA LIFELIFE ININ SUDANSUDAN LETTER FROM THE CEO Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you will land among the stars t the end of October, former astronaut borderless mobile network but also the world's Neil Armstrong took Zain’s bi-annual ACE first inter-continental borderless network, Amanagement meeting for a trip to the available to 500 million people stretching from moon nearly 40 years after he stepped on its Freetown in Sierra Leone to Manama in surface in what was, and still is, mankind’s most Bahrain, an area larger than the USA. daring adventure. The inspirational speech he gave will act as a catalyst to motivate all of us to Despite the world’s financial difficulties, Zain be brave and take risks in our personal and successfully raised $4.5 billion through a business dealings. capital increase to which over 99% of all shareholders subscribed. The amount, which This is what has taken Zain to where it is today. It will provide the company with the liquidity allows us to succeed in our daring acquisitions, necessary to achieve our 2011 ACE targets, operate in challenging markets and propel us to be was unprecedented. It is a unanimous vote of among the world’s top 10 global confidence by our shareholders in our telecommunications companies by 2011. management team, our performance to date and our expansion strategy. Back on Earth, the last few months have been the most challenging and rewarding in Zain’s history. I Finally, I must give a special mention to our look back on them with amazement and gratitude. team in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where Today, after our African brothers and sisters we successfully launched services at the end of successfully undertook the challenge in rebranding August. Within a short period of two months, the beloved Celtel to Zain on August 1, we are and notwithstanding fierce competition, they united as one brand on two continents. We already have already welcomed more than 1.2 million feel the impact, having exceeded all expectations, customers to the Zain family. It is the much to the delight of all our stakeholders. This beginning of an exciting venture in this equally success has been achieved by the dedication and exciting country. determination of all the 10,000 fantastic people that are the beating heart of Zain Africa. Mahatma Gandhi said: “The future depends on what we do in the present.” Our ‘present’ We made history with our simultaneous policy at Zain is taking calculated risks, celebrations across our 14 African markets, choosing unconventional solutions, coming up attended by over 100,000 people and linked by with better ideas, testing them and working as live satellite. Africa had never seen anything like one. All are necessary ingredients for a it. But it was more than just a first for Africa; the company to succeed in today’s world. event celebrated all that is great about Africa and all that is great about Zain. Why walk when you can fly? This launch also coincided with the expansion of Happy reading! our groundbreaking African ‘One Network’ and the linking of that service to our Middle East Dr Saad Al Barrak markets, making it not only the world’s first CEO-Zain 3 CHAOS NOVEMBER 2008 CONTENTS 26 Zain Sudan saves a life How a young man emerged from a tragic plane crash with Zain’s help 28 A drop of happiness Zain’s creativity captures the public imagination 30 Against all odds The amazing story of how the Zain Basketball Team defied the doubters 34 Backing African talent Zain co-sponsors the preeminent award in African journalism 38 Driving to success Zain has lessons to learn and to teach 3 Letter from the CEO 40 ‘One network’ honored Zain wins prize for network infrastruc- REACHING THE TOP ture innovation 6 Mishal Kanoo Business mastermind 41 Dr Saad Al Barrak wins awards 7 Zaha Hadid Zain CEO wins hatrick of prizes and Architect of genius ranks 29th most influential telecom 8 Chinua Achebe executive African literary noble laureate 9 Pamela Jelimo 42 When the sword is mightier Olympic Champion than the pen The inspiring story of the fencing Al MY CITY Ayoub sisters from Kuwait who went 10 Riyadh: Queen of the desert on to become champions A profile of one of the most vibrant Arab cities of our time 46 Texting against AIDS Zain uses SMS messages to promote 14 REAL LIVES HIV education Myths, kings and magic The Ashanti, Ghana’s largest 48 Investing in the future tribe, has a long, proud tradition Zain Sierra Leone helps mothers and traders with worthy initiatives TALKING TELECOM 18 The chaos principle 50 Going, going, gone! Part 2 of a dialogue with mtc touch raises $2.5 million by Dr. Saad Al-Barrak on his style auctioning prestige phone numbers of management 52 ACE in the hole CORPORATE SPIRIT Zain executives meet at the Dead 24 Living the dream Sea to discuss 2011 goals. First man Zain KSA’s CEO talks about the on the moon, Neil Armstrong gives challenges of setting up a network inspirational speech and we hear in the Kingdom from a girl called Zain 4 CHAOS NOVEMBER 2008 Contributors: Lana Captan, Carl Gibeilly, Mathias Klein, Anne Renahan, Thomas Schellen, Norbert Schiller Photography: Norbert Schiller private collection, Focus Mideast, Zain Group, Reuters Editing: SPECIAL SECTION: Vinehouse Media REBRANDING AFRICA Color Separation 60 14 reason to raise the roof and Printing: Zain hosts the biggest party www.raidy.com in Africa Produced by: 62 Burkino Faso Zain Group Communication Talent time and Investor Relations 64 Chad Department in collabora- Zain and the Zo gang tion with Vinehouse Media 65 Congo Brazzavile Funk fusion 66 Democratic of Congo Papa Wemba rocks! 68 Kenya The mother ship 71 Gabon Raising the roof 72 Madagascar Bodo shakes the party MOBILE LIFE 73 Malawi 86 Going nowhere Spreading the word Roaming charges will soon be a 74 Niger thing of the past argues business An explosive evening writer Thomas Schellen 76 Nigeria 90 Mobiles on the move! P.O. Box 22244 Safat, The sultans of sound Phone management and cross bor- 13083 Kuwait 78 Sierra Leone der solutions in an ever changing Tel.: +965 464 4444 P-Square’s urban rock mobile environment www.zain.com 80 Tanzania 94 Kidz are us [email protected] Spirit of togetherness Mobiles can give parents peace 82 Uganda of mind, even when the children African heartbeat are out of sight 84 Zambia Mama Zambia rules 98 Trivia to inspire 5 CHAOS NOVEMBER 2008 REACHING THE TOP ishal Hamed Kanoo is known for of the Rashid Paediatric Therapy Centre, writing always seeks to bridge the his charm and pit-bull mentality: a corporate member in Emirates ethical and religious dimensions in Mwhen he has an idea between Environmental Group and a partner in business dealings with modernity his teeth, say his friends, he might be the Dubai Quality Group. Given his and progress. pleasant about it, but he will never let extensive knowledge of global capital go. For the boyish-looking entrepreneur and insight into business life in the Gulf Within that context, Mishal Kanoo has with his winning smile, the world of region, he is frequently called upon to always been a strong advocate of business is a natural fit. speak at conferences in the Gulf. education, stressing the need for people to take responsibility and At 39, Mishal Kanoo has established Mishal Kanoo continues to write control of their lives through learning himself as the mastermind behind one columns in local and regional and training. His guiding philosophy, of the largest independent, family- publications – he actually made his which he applies equally to his owned, group of companies in the debut as a columnist in Money Works personal life and to his company, is a Gulf region. magazine upon graduating with an fervent belief in honesty and a will to MBA in finance from the University of look ahead for opportunities while The Kanoo Group, which was formed St. Thomas, Houston, in the US. His keeping a respectful eye on the past. by Haji Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo in Bahrain more than a century ago, has grown from its early roots as a trading and shipping firm to become one of Mishal Kanoo the most diversified business ventures, whose regional profile has earned it a superbrand status. As the Deputy Chairman of the Kanoo Group, Mishal Kanoo has successfully steered and expanded his organization to encompass a broad range of industries, such as shipping, travel, machinery, oil and gas, power and industrial projects to exhibition services, courier services, insurance, logistics, specialty chemicals and business centres, and art and culture. He was instrumental in ensuring that each of the 11 businesses that make up the Kanoo Group benefited from an individual board with enough authority to make executive decisions internally, including joint ventures with a host of such international partners as Maersk shipping, Norwich Union Insurance and Freightworks, to name a few. This internal model of autonomous companies has proved particularly successful for the company and for Mishal Kanoo, whose personal fortune has been estimated at $1.7 billion, thereby placing him in the top 10 of the world’s richest Arab personalities. But Mishal Kanoo’s interests extend beyond the corporate world. He opened an art gallery in Dubai, where he lives aimed at promoting Arabian art and culture.