Company Insights Ooredoo Telecoms Ooredoo Overview Ooredoo is a multinational telecommunications company based in Doha, Qatar. Established as Qtel Group, Qatar Public Telecommunications Corporation in 1987, in 2013 the group was rebranded as Ooredoo. Ooredoo provides mobile, wireless, wire line and content services. It operates in domestic and international telecommunication markets, offering business and residential services. One of the world’s largest mobile telecommunications companies, Ooredoo was the first operator globally to launch commercial 5G services in Qatar. In 2021 it had more than 121 million customers worldwide. The company reported revenues of US$6.4 billion in 2023. Ooredoo operates across the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia: Algeria, Indonesia, Iraq, Kuwait, Maldives, Oman, Palestine, Qatar and Tunisia. Ooredoo is 68% owned by Qatar government related entities, 10% owned by the UAE’s ADIA and the remaining 22% is publicly traded. In October 2023 Ooredoo, Kuwait’s Zain Group and the UAE’s TASC Towers Holding signed agreements to create the largest tower company in the Middle East and North Africa, to be valued at $2.2 billion. The company is spending $1.1 billion over 2024-26 on upgrading its mobile coverage and quality of services in key overseas markets including Algeria, Tunisia, Gaza and the West Bank, Iraq and the Maldives. Shares are listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange and the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange. Ooredoo News Telecoms Profits fall as Omantel loses subscribers to rivals Profits have fallen at Oman Telecommunications Company after it lost market share to competitors. Omantel, Oman’s largest telecommunications provider, said net profit was down 3 percent last year to $795 million. Market share fell five percentage points in 2024 to 48 percent of a total of 7.1 million subscribers in the country, down from 53 […] March 12, 2025 Opinion Telecoms Gulf telcos should ignore Europe’s fading allure For all their foreign forays – current and historic – it is their domestic businesses that matter most February 10, 2025 Telecoms Ooredoo to build high-speed data network for GCC Qatari telelcoms company Ooredoo Group has signed an agreement with French company Alcatel Submarine Networks to build a new submarine cable and fibre network connecting seven countries in the region. The project, called Gulf in Fibre, will connect the six GCC countries — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman — and Iraq […] January 31, 2025 Analysis Tech China-US tech tensions threaten GCC telecom strategy High-tech restrictions Great power 'rivalry' Gulf states face risks Gulf countries risk being dragged into the great power “rivalry” between China and the United States when it comes to advanced technology, forcing them to pick a side. ... Register now: It’s easy and free This content is available for registered members only. Register for your […] January 2, 2025 Analysis Tax Doubt surrounds e&’s earnings as UAE tax rise looms There is uncertainty over whether e&, the UAE’s former telecom monopoly, will pay more of its profit in taxes after the federal government announced it would raise corporate tax for multinational companies operating in the country from 2025. Emirates Telecommunications Group, which rebranded as e& but is better known under its previous name Etisalat, is […] December 12, 2024 Finance $500bn QIA to go ‘aggressive’ and close big deals says CEO The $500-billion Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) will be investing more “aggressively” and closing more “big-ticket” deals, according to a news report. Mohammed Al-Sowaidi, the fund’s new chief executive officer, told the Financial Times that QIA will invest with “more frequency” and undertake a review of its investment strategy. The fund remains bullish on the US, […] December 12, 2024 Finance Qatar replaces chief of its $510bn sovereign fund The Qatari government has appointed Mohammed Al Sowaidi to lead its $510 billion Qatar Investment Authority (QIA). He replaces Mansoor Al Mahmoud who had headed the sovereign wealth fund since 2018. Al Sowaidi joined the fund in 2010 and worked as the Americas region’s chief investment officer. The QIA, set up in 2005, manages revenues […] November 13, 2024 Artificial Intelligence Sales of Nvidia stock soar in UAE in record rally As Nvidia’s stock market value hit $3.65 trillion on Thursday to make it the world’s most valuable company, so shares are in hot demand among retail investors in the Gulf. The Californian chipmaker overtook Apple, which previously held the record for the highest closing market capitalisation at $3.57 trillion on October 21. “It’s our most […] November 8, 2024 Video length: 05:57 Analysis Artificial Intelligence UAE data centres struggling to meet AI demand The UAE has the largest concentration of data centres in the Middle East and North Africa, but it is grappling with a capacity crunch. A surge in demand from the artificial intelligence sector is putting a strain on existing infrastructure, driving up costs and posing a challenge to future growth, industry experts have told AGBI. […] October 16, 2024 Finance Qatar to reduce stake in UK supermarket Sainsbury’s Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund is selling part of its 15 percent stake in the British supermarket Sainsbury’s as the fund pushes ahead with expansion in the United States and Asia, particularly China and India. Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), the biggest shareholder in Sainsbury’s, is selling £306 million ($399 million) worth of shares in the retailer, […] October 11, 2024 Posts navigation 1 2 … 5 Next
Telecoms Profits fall as Omantel loses subscribers to rivals Profits have fallen at Oman Telecommunications Company after it lost market share to competitors. Omantel, Oman’s largest telecommunications provider, said net profit was down 3 percent last year to $795 million. Market share fell five percentage points in 2024 to 48 percent of a total of 7.1 million subscribers in the country, down from 53 […] March 12, 2025
Opinion Telecoms Gulf telcos should ignore Europe’s fading allure For all their foreign forays – current and historic – it is their domestic businesses that matter most February 10, 2025
Telecoms Ooredoo to build high-speed data network for GCC Qatari telelcoms company Ooredoo Group has signed an agreement with French company Alcatel Submarine Networks to build a new submarine cable and fibre network connecting seven countries in the region. The project, called Gulf in Fibre, will connect the six GCC countries — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman — and Iraq […] January 31, 2025
Analysis Tech China-US tech tensions threaten GCC telecom strategy High-tech restrictions Great power 'rivalry' Gulf states face risks Gulf countries risk being dragged into the great power “rivalry” between China and the United States when it comes to advanced technology, forcing them to pick a side. ... Register now: It’s easy and free This content is available for registered members only. Register for your […] January 2, 2025
Analysis Tax Doubt surrounds e&’s earnings as UAE tax rise looms There is uncertainty over whether e&, the UAE’s former telecom monopoly, will pay more of its profit in taxes after the federal government announced it would raise corporate tax for multinational companies operating in the country from 2025. Emirates Telecommunications Group, which rebranded as e& but is better known under its previous name Etisalat, is […] December 12, 2024
Finance $500bn QIA to go ‘aggressive’ and close big deals says CEO The $500-billion Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) will be investing more “aggressively” and closing more “big-ticket” deals, according to a news report. Mohammed Al-Sowaidi, the fund’s new chief executive officer, told the Financial Times that QIA will invest with “more frequency” and undertake a review of its investment strategy. The fund remains bullish on the US, […] December 12, 2024
Finance Qatar replaces chief of its $510bn sovereign fund The Qatari government has appointed Mohammed Al Sowaidi to lead its $510 billion Qatar Investment Authority (QIA). He replaces Mansoor Al Mahmoud who had headed the sovereign wealth fund since 2018. Al Sowaidi joined the fund in 2010 and worked as the Americas region’s chief investment officer. The QIA, set up in 2005, manages revenues […] November 13, 2024
Artificial Intelligence Sales of Nvidia stock soar in UAE in record rally As Nvidia’s stock market value hit $3.65 trillion on Thursday to make it the world’s most valuable company, so shares are in hot demand among retail investors in the Gulf. The Californian chipmaker overtook Apple, which previously held the record for the highest closing market capitalisation at $3.57 trillion on October 21. “It’s our most […] November 8, 2024
Video length: 05:57 Analysis Artificial Intelligence UAE data centres struggling to meet AI demand The UAE has the largest concentration of data centres in the Middle East and North Africa, but it is grappling with a capacity crunch. A surge in demand from the artificial intelligence sector is putting a strain on existing infrastructure, driving up costs and posing a challenge to future growth, industry experts have told AGBI. […] October 16, 2024
Finance Qatar to reduce stake in UK supermarket Sainsbury’s Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund is selling part of its 15 percent stake in the British supermarket Sainsbury’s as the fund pushes ahead with expansion in the United States and Asia, particularly China and India. Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), the biggest shareholder in Sainsbury’s, is selling £306 million ($399 million) worth of shares in the retailer, […] October 11, 2024
