RIYADH, 9 February 2005 — Minister of Telecommunications and Information Technology Muhammad Jameel Mulla unveiled Mobily, the brand name for Ettihad Etisalat, at a ceremony here yesterday.
The Kingdom’s second mobile operator’s corporate identity branding was also presented on the occasion.
“Mobily’s launch as the official brand for the company’s products and services in the Kingdom has given its marketing a strong focus,” Etisalat’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Khaled Al-Kaf, said.
“Mobily represents our commitment to the Saudi market and consumers through values aiming to provide the best standard of mobile services and products to match the aspirations and lifestyle of the Saudi people,” he said, adding that the launch of Mobily is consistent with Ettihad Etisalat’s vision and mission that are based on genuine values such as working with an adventurous and ingenious spirit, openness and friendliness, contemporary, collaborative, driven, simple and dependable.”
Al-Kaf said that with the commencement of the Mobily operation, 60 percent of the staff would be Saudi, which would be raised to over 80 percent in the following years.
Communications and Information Technology Commission Governor Dr. Mohammed Al-Suwayel, Ettihad Etisalat Chairman Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sughayer, and Obeid ibn Mes’har, deputy CEO of Emirates Telecommunications Company (Etisalat) were among those present.
Mobily will play a major role in matching the aspirations and building a relationship with the Saudi mobile subscribers while creating recognition and awareness for the soon-to-be-launched mobile service.
The new brand identity is based on the reality of liberalized telecommunications markets in the region, but also has an emotional relevance to Saudi consumers.
The company has received an enthusiastic welcome from the Saudi people, with investors who are particularly appreciative. Its initial public offering (IPO) was a historic success and its share value soared by 750 percent shortly after listing.
Al-Sughayer stressed the company’s commitment to supporting and contributing to the Saudi economy by providing maximum job opportunities for Saudi nationals and investing in the Kingdom’s communications infrastructure by using Saudi contractors and training a young Saudi work force.
Ettihad Etisalat was founded in the Kingdom in accordance with a royal decree issued last year. Saudi public and private investors together own 65 percent of its shares.
The company presented an additional 20 percent of its shares for general subscription, giving an opportunity to Saudi citizens to invest.
The share subscription attracted unprecedented interest from Saudi investors and the IPO was oversubscribed more than 51 times. Emirates Telecommunication Company owns the remaining 35 percent of the company’s stock.
In the third year of Ettihad Etisalat’s formation, an additional 20 percent of shares will be offered to the Saudi public which will further increase the holding of the Saudis in the company.
Ettihad Etisalat Company was awarded the second mobile GSM and the first 3G licenses in Saudi Arabia last year. Commerce and Industry Minister Dr. Hashim Yamani approved the establishment of Ettihad Etisalat Company, a Saudi stock company with a capital of SR5 billion, last year.
Initially, GSM services are to be rolled out in Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Alkhobar, Dhahran, Thaqba, Mubarraz, Hofuf, Buraidah, Khamees Mushayt, Abha and Taif.
