Zain Bahrain has accomplished big things since its entry into the Bahrain telecommunications market in 2003, but its aspirations for the future are even grander. Zain Bahrain General Manager Mohammed Zainalabedin attributes much of its ongoing success to the family-like corporate culture it has built, in which employees are encouraged to challenge each other for the sake of achieving the overall objectives of the organization.
Can you please give us some background on your responsibilities as General Manager of Zain Bahrain? What has the journey been like, and what are some of the challenges you are currently facing?
I am honored to be serving in this position because it is the latest step in a journey I started back in 2003 with the company’s inception in Bahrain. I really enjoy working here because the interaction with the different talented people within the company really helps build one’s character and deliver excellence. I’ve played multiple roles and responsibilities within the organization over the years and this is but the latest.
We were the first startup operation within the group. It was a greenfield operation, so we had to be very hands-on in the early days to turn it into the company it is today. It was very exciting and we are proud of what we’ve accomplished over the years.
Zain Bahrain recently launched the Kingdom’s first mobile package offering unlimited social media data usage. How do you think social media is going to affect the offerings of telecom companies within the next five years?
The idea behind that was to give customers what they have been demanding of us and of our competitors. If you look at current trends regarding how people use mobile services, you see a shift from voice-based services towards data. This means that we as operators really have to innovate and come up with the services our customers need. If you successfully provide that, they will subscribe.
Technology is evolving and we have to change along with it. The current trend towards data kicked into gear with previous attempts at offering data solutions with the older technologies, 2G and 3G. The more they evolve, the more robust the technologies will get.
I think we can all feel an obvious difference between what was previously available and what we have now. This evolution is facilitating new applications and innovations that we are able to create for our customers. I think in a few years, we’ll see things we’ve never seen before. It is normal for technology to improve. In my time, I can recall working with big mainframe machines. The next development was PCs and laptops; after that came tablets and now we have smartphones. This will continue.
A huge portion of the telecom revenue in the past several years has consisted of voice SMS and international calls. This is now being almost completely replaced by data. Is that a good or a bad thing? Is this something Zain is embracing, or concerned about?
Let’s be realistic. There are facts of life you can’t deny. When you see something coming, you have to act accordingly. The world is moving in a very definite direction, and we can’t be moving in the opposite way. We have to move with the times and be creative and innovative as we embrace the new.
To answer the question, do we like these changes? Yes, we do. Change is challenging, and challenge is exciting and inspiring. We just have to make sure we stay profitable by giving the public what it would like to see in terms of technology and services.
Definitely. Speaking of the creativity you mentioned, I’m a huge believer in partnership, and I understand that Zain Bahrain recently tied up with Booking.com, correct? I think it is a great value-add to the customer when the operator partners up with complementary services. Is this something Zain Bahrain is considering doing more of?
Let’s remember that we are part of a larger group, which is very helpful because it allows us to leverage what’s happening in other markets. Definitely the bigger you become, the more power you have in terms of partnerships.
At Zain Bahrain, we highly value partnerships; we have been in the outsourcing business since the beginning. That was the model upon which we built this organization. You are going to hear about a lot more of these partnerships in the future.
WE DON’T BELIEVE IN TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING OURSELVES. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF YOU CAN FIND SOMEBODY WHO CAN DO IT BETTER, THE SMARTEST THING TO DO IS WORK TOGETHER.
That’s wonderful. One of the main tasks of the Bahrain Economic Development Board, beginning with this year, is to work on building the startup ecosystem in Bahrain, as mandated by the government. Is Zain Bahrain planning to contribute to the strategy to make Bahrain the region’s technology startup hub?
We’re an integral part of the community here. What’s good for the country is good for us, and the innovations we are helping to develop, such as our introduction of unlimited social media packages, will only benefit the country. So we definitely will be taking part, partnering with the government where necessary and offering ideas.
We’re passionate about this project, but recognize that we can’t do it alone. We have to collaborate as a team with the community at large. We’re very proud when we see companies or startups coming into Bahrain or expanding internationally. That really works well, and we want to digitize the services they require. We are in talks already, and we’ll see how we can actually leverage that.
One of the things people say about Zain Bahrain is that it’s very family-like. It has a vibrant internal community. It feels like one big family to everyone who walks into the building and experiences the atmosphere. How did Zain Bahrain achieve this? What separates it in this respect from almost every other company out there?
Zain Bahrain’s foundation is its people. If you come to our offices, you will see that our staff members are not afraid to be themselves and speak out about their work and other things they are passionate about. We believe in ourselves, respect ourselves, and value each other, and that’s really what families are about—so that’s the secret. We believe in healthy debate, and that if any changes happen as result of that, it just makes us stronger.
THERE WAS A STRONG BELIEF THAT WITH PASSION, TALENT, ENERGY, AND TEAMWORK, WITH A FAMILY SPIRIT, YOU CAN ACHIEVE GREAT SUCCESS.
What advice do you have for future leaders in Bahrain, who may follow your shoes in leading large telecoms organizations? What traits or characteristics are important in leading a major organization in Bahrain?
It is important to be human-oriented and people-centric, but unfortunately not many value these principles, let alone practice them. You need to learn how to get the best out of your team. You can’t do it alone. Knowing your own strengths is also very important. You have to work on your own self-development. Act like an owner, and don’t wait for somebody to come and tell you what to do.
Keep challenging yourself, aim for the top, and have a mission and reason for why you do things. It really makes a difference when you put all these elements together, and this will take you to a place of success.
Great. Thank you for this.
You’re welcome.