Telecommunications

Amid rapid digital transformation, we help our clients get up to speed by building distinct capabilities to accelerate growth.

New technologies bring new opportunities

As digital giants and startups change business models in the Middle East and around the world, telecommunications companies must develop strategies that focus on lasting growth. At the same time, policymakers and regulators must devise ways to evolve the telecom market and ensure its sustainability. Emerging technologies are creating opportunities for a wide variety of players to reach more people, and the thirst to consume content via the internet is greater than ever before. Telecom operators are investing more than 50% of their M&A budget outside of core competencies.

At Strategy&, the longest-serving consulting firm in the Middle East, we bring unparalleled regional expertise in sector policy and regulations, growth strategies, digital transformation, financial planning and management, B2C commercial strategies, B2B/B2G commercial strategies, wholesale commercial strategies, technology and operations, and operating models. By uniting strategy, design, and execution, we deliver immediate impact and lasting value for policymakers, regulators, and corporate clients in the Middle East. We advise government entities, companies and leadership teams of all sizes on business decisions related to cutting-edge trends and ongoing issues such as:

  • Policy and regulation
  • New growth areas
  • Media and entertainment adjacency
  • B2B and IT adjacency
  • Next-generation networks
  • Cost transformation
  • Digital customer experience
  • Data monetization
  • Operating model and people

Differentiating capabilities

Smart diversification

We support telecom operators in pursuing value-creating diversification to new cores. We extract lessons learnt from FAANGs and lay out the principles and framework for “smart” diversification, including comprehensive understanding of FinTech, InsurTech, Telemedicine, and ICT.

Digital telco transformation

We support telecom operators in retaining relevance to customers, reducing cost to serve, and increasing revenues with digital transformation. We provide a framework for anchoring the telecom way to play and designing holistic digital transformation through mobile-first, omni-channel customer journeys, product simplification, and big-data-enabled personalization.

Fit For Growth* in a digital world

We demonstrate how digitization of channels and technology promises to transform cost structure. We provide a detailed assessment of impact of new digital levers, the target-state business model for cost leadership in the digital age, and a tool set enabling deep cost diagnostics and rapid identification of cost efficiencies.

*Fit for Growth is a registered service mark of PwC Strategy& LLC in the United States.

The path toward 5G

We conduct an economic analysis to determine how 5G spectrum options, use cases, and business models impact the viable 5G coverage, and what is the macroeconomic impact of wide 5G roll-outs to derive implications for telecom operators and regulators.

Media and entertainment – A growth path for telecom operators

We identify attractive media opportunities for telecom operators (e.g., digital advertising, OTT), the conditions under which telcos invest in them, the ways to play that can be adopted in each, and the key factors for successful execution.

ICT service providers transformation for the digital age

We support telecom operators with mature B2B as they make the leap to become digital services and solution innovators that enable the digital transformation of verticals, elaborating on key success factors.

How we can help

Our telecom expertise covers the entire business construct.

Sector development

  • Sector governance
  • ICT sector strategy
  • National digitization
  • National broadband

Strategic direction

  • Corporate strategy
  • Market entry strategy
  • Growth strategy/adjacencies
  • Investment strategy
  • Digital transformation
  • Performance turnaround
  • Regulatory strategy/lobbying plan
  • Post-merger integration

Financial planning and management

  • Cost optimization
  • Performance management
  • Capital planning
  • Working capital management
  • Balance sheet optimization
  • Regulatory strategy/lobbying plan
  • Post-merger integration

Commercial – B2C

  • Marketing strategy
  • Customer segmentation
  • Product design and pricing
  • Data monetization
  • Devices strategy
  • Content strategy
  • Customer value management
  • Loyalty management
  • Channels strategy
  • Retail footprint optimization
  • Distribution model
  • Supply chain management
  • Incentive scheme
  • Customer experience
  • Contact center optimization

Commercial – B2B/B2G

  • ICT growth strategy and go-to-market
  • Telecom product design and launch
  • Digital solutions
  • Design and business development
  • SME sales strategy
  • Customer experience
  • Managed accts. sales strategy
  • Account planning and profiling
  • Customer segmentation
  • Marketing communications strategy
  • Customer operations

Wholesale

  • Product development
  • Sales plan
  • Pricing
  • International expansion
  • Infrastructure sharing
  • National roaming
  • MVNO hosting

Technology and operations

  • Technology strategy and plan
  • Vendor strategy and management
  • Digital technology architecture design
  • IT transformations
  • Asset life-cycle management and governance
  • Spectrum management
  • Field service optimization
  • Agile operating model

Operating models

  • Organization restructuring
  • Workforce planning
  • Capability-led transformation
  • Governance alignment
  • Group-opco interplays
  • Culture and change management

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Media clips

Jad El Mir on how telecom operators can win with gaming

CNBC Arabia interviews Jad El Mir, Principal with Strategy& Middle East, to discuss the firm’s study entitled "Skin in the game: How telecom operators can win with gaming".

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Contact us

Bahjat El-Darwiche

Bahjat El-Darwiche

Partner, Strategy& Middle East

Tarek El Zein

Tarek El Zein

Partner, Strategy& Middle East

Hicham Fadel

Hicham Fadel

Partner, Strategy& Middle East

Jad Hajj

Jad Hajj

Partner, Strategy& Middle East

Mahmoud Makki

Mahmoud Makki

Partner, Strategy& Middle East

Chady Smayra

Chady Smayra

Partner, Strategy& Middle East

Diana Dib

Diana Dib

Partner, Strategy& Middle East

Hani Zein

Hani Zein

Partner, Strategy& Middle East

Jad El Mir

Jad El Mir

Partner, Strategy& Middle East

Ramzi Madi

Ramzi Madi

Partner, Strategy& Middle East

Lancelot Sursock

Lancelot Sursock

Partner, Strategy& Middle East

Gurjot Pal Singh

Gurjot Pal Singh

Partner, Strategy& Middle East

Imad Atwi

Imad Atwi

Partner, Strategy& Middle East

Fawaz BouAlwan

Fawaz BouAlwan

Partner, Strategy& Middle East

Tarek Matar

Tarek Matar

Partner, Strategy& Middle East

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