Zain Group, a leading innovator of mobile communications in eight markets across the Middle East and Africa, announces the successful conclusion of its first ever Digital Innovation Forum, which was predominantly held at Zain Jordan’s Innovation Campus (ZINC) in Amman in Feb. The Forum saw participants from Zain Group and all operating company’s strategy, commercial and technical departments discussing future strategies and opportunities in the global digital space.
The Forum builds on the establishment of the Zain Digital Frontier and Innovation (ZDFI) business unit in 2014, which is charged with launching Zain into the digital space with the view of growing the company through new innovative business streams that add to Zain’s financial viability and market capitalization. ZDFI focuses on the areas of innovation; digital services; corporate venturing; and smart cities, with the ultimate aim of Zain becoming a regional innovation trendsetter.
A series of panel discussions and workshops were conducted, which focused on how to scale current activities across the Group; identify and commercialize new digital opportunities and to consider the priority areas that will drive the future growth of Zain. Topics of discussion also centered on the need, challenges and specific actions and targets for greater cooperation within the company’s various business units and with the telecom eco-system at large.
The two-day Forum was led by Zain Group Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer, Emre Gurkan, who reiterated Zain Group’s vision of driving the digital frontier and innovation. “Technology and innovation is not important to us for innovation’s sake. We are focused on producing and delivering better and more choice of digital products and services to our customers, and satisfying them better than any other provider does lies at the heart of this vision.”
Gurkan continued, “We had a very educational and informative Forum, where individuals from across the Group were able to come together and exchange ideas and insights. The complexity of the telecom sector is increasing rapidly, and in order to remain relevant and successful, a regular strategic review and brainstorming by all key management is essential to successfully take Zain into a digital future.”
Attendees at the Forum were also afforded an insight into Group-level Digital Frontier & Innovation initiatives, which included new investment opportunities and partnerships ranging from corporate ventures to smart city opportunities. International case studies and key learnings were also presented and discussed, with many sessions of the Forum taking place at ZINC where start-ups and entrepreneurs bring their innovative ideas and projects to life.
‘The inspirational Zain Innovation Campus is the first of its kind in Jordan being fully equipped with cutting edge technologies providing startups with the opportunity to connect with international experts in the entrepreneurship field hence saving them the effort, cost and time’ Explained Pakiza, Manager of CSR in Zain Bahrain. ‘ Additionally, ZINC provides working spaces, high speed internet, multipurpose meeting room, 3D printers, scanners, Robotics corner, Simulation lab, virtual reality lab, smart screens, tele-presence room that bridges startups with 500 other startups in the USA and Coventry University in London. ‘ added.