Etisalat chairman honoured with Outstanding Achievement Award from CEO Magazine

The magazine presented this award for Mohammad Hassan Omran to honour him for his achievements in growing Etisalat into one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world.

Since his appointment as Chairman, Etisalat has grown rapidly and in March was numbered the fourteenth largest operators in the world according to the Financial Times 500 survey.

"We are delighted to award Mr Omran for his tireless efforts in developing Etisalat into a world lead in telecommunications services, and at the same time helping to provide access to new technology and connectivity across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. His leadership skills are exemplary as his ability to turn his vision into reality, delivering time and again to the highest standards."

said Walid Akawi, CEO of ITP.

Mr Omran is leading Etisalat's strategy which is renowned for its wide array of services and for its history of bringing new technologies to seventeen countries across Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Today, the combined population of the countries that it covers exceeds 1.6bn people.

In the first half of 2008, Etisalat reported Net Profits of Dhs5,118m and Net Revenues of AED 12,443 million. Its assets also continued to rise - reaching a total value of Dhs30,704m.

H.E. Mohammad Hassan Omran, Chairman of Etisalat said:

"Etisalat today is one of the largest operators in the world, and we are on course to achieve our vision of becoming one of the top ten service providers by 2010. We will achieve this through our strategy which is based on the highest international standards and which has been proven many times in our successful entry into new markets across Asia, Africa and the Middle East and in being rated strongly by the major international rating agencies. This award and our achievements are thanks to the strength of our management team who are able to turn this strategy into a reality. This has supported our growth in international markets, which has helped our total subscriber base to exceed 64mn."

This is the second award Etisalat's chairman has received in 2008, the previous award was presented during the Abu Dhabi Economic Forum by Al Iktissad Wal Amal.

Mohammad Omran received his degree in electronic and communication engineering and also joined Etisalat in 1977, one year after it was formed.

He achieved his first senior position as the Area Manager in Ras Al Khaimah in 1982.

He was then appointed Deputy General Manager for Etisalat in 1984 and became Etisalat's Senior Executive Vice President in 1999.

He was later named the company's Chief Executive Officer in 2004. He was named Chairman in 2005.

He also serves as the Chairman of Thuraya, one of the world's leading, satellite, geo-mobile communication systems with coverage spanning approximately two thirds of the planet, a position he has held since 1997.

The CEO Awards are presented to the region's business leaders across all industries, including financial services, investments, real estate, petrochemical and tourism. It also promotes the achievements of young leaders and women CEOs.