Scott Gegenheimer-CEO of Zain Group

• Two-year term will see Mr. Gegenheimer involved in charting the future course of mobile connectivity across the globe

London, Kuwait City– 27 October, 2016

Zain Group, a leading mobile telecom innovator across the Middle East and Africa announces the election of its Chief Executive Officer, Scott Gegenheimer, as a member of the Board of Directors of GSM Association (GSMA) for a two-year period commencing January 2017 through December 2018.

The GSMA represents the interests of over 800 operators, as well as almost 300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. On behalf of and in partnership with its members, the GSMA undertakes a range of industry programs and advocacy initiatives, and convenes the expanding mobile ecosystem at leading events around the world.

The GSMA Board has 26 members, including 25 operator representatives from the world’s largest operator groups, together with smaller, independent operators with global representation. The appointment of Mr. Gegenheimer to serve on the Board is a reflection of the esteem that the GSMA Board holds him in personally, as well as its regard for Zain Group as one of the leading mobile operators in the Middle East and Africa, actively supporting GSMA initiatives in the development of the mobile telecommunications industry.

Commenting on his selection to join the GSM Board, Scott Gegenheimer said, “

I would like to express my gratitude to the members of the GSMA Board for bestowing this honor on me and Zain. The GSMA has a proud history of elevating the requirements of mobile network operators globally and championing causes that have led to our industry becoming one of the most successful ever. I look forward to representing the region, fully recognizing how essential our industry endeavors are to empowering and improving the quality of life in the Middle East and Africa and beyond.”

The mobile industry has fundamentally changed how individuals, businesses and governments alike communicate, interact and conduct their everyday lives. However, there is still so much more to be done in extending the transformative effects of mobile and the GSMA is ideally positioned to drive further connectivity across the globe.

The GSMA Board for the 2017-2018 term (in company alphabetical order) comprises:

• Juan Carlos Archila, Executive Vice President, International Relationships, América Móvil
• Bill Hague, Executive Vice President-Global Connection Management, AT&T Mobility
• Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder and Chairman, Bharti Enterprises
• Sha Yuejia, Executive Director and Vice President, China Mobile
• Sun Kangmin, Executive Director and Executive Vice President, China Telecom
• Lu Yimin, President and Vice Chairman, China Unicom
• Wolfgang Kopf, Senior Vice President, Public and Regulatory Affairs, Deutsche Telekom
• Hatem Dowidar, CEO International, Etisalat
• Mats Granryd, Director General, GSMA
• Christian Salbaing, Deputy Chairman, Europe, Hutchison
• Takashi Tanaka, President, KDDI
• Eelco Blok, CEO, KPN
• Chang-Gyu Hwang, Chairman and CEO, KT Corporation
• Mauricio Ramos, CEO, Millicom
• Phuthuma Nhleko, Chairman and Acting CEO, MTN Group
• Andrei Dubovskov, President, MTS
• Kazuhiro Yoshizawa, President and CEO, NTT DOCOMO
• Mari-Noëlle Jego-Laveissiere, Executive Vice President, Innovation, Orange Group
• Dong-Hyun Jang, President and CEO, SK Telecom
• Julio Linares López, Vice President of the Board, Telefo´nica
• Sigve Brekke, President and CEO, Telenor Group
• Johan Dennelind, President and CEO, Telia Company
• Kaan Terziog?lu, CEO, Turkcell
• Roy Chestnutt, Chief Strategy Officer, Verizon
• Serpil Timuray, Group Chief Commercial Operations and Strategy Officer, Vodafone
• Scott Gegenheimer, CEO, Zain Group