Orange Business Services, the B2B branch of the Orange Group, has appointed a leadership team to drive business in its newly created indirect channels, Middle East, Africa and Russia (IMEAR) territories.
The global IT and communications services provider says it formed the new IMEAR region in response to the wave of digital transformation that is changing the business landscape for government bodies and for service providers.
In its new strategy, the company combines its established business operations (Indirect SITA business unit, MEA and Russia CIS ) under the new regional organisation, which will now include three regional headquarters in Dubai, Johannesburg and Moscow.
Richard van Wageningen, CEO of Orange Business Services in Russia and CIS, will lead the IMEAR region as senior vice-president out of Moscow, grouping the growing markets of MEAR, and the indirect business in the air transport industry.
Luc Serviant expands his role as vice-president of Orange Business Services MEA, reporting to Van Wageningen and based in Dubai. He retains his responsibility for MENA and Turkey, adding responsibility for the Africa business. Serviant has over 25 years of experience in marketing and implementing IT solutions within the enterprise sector, focusing on strategic planning and people management responsibilities.
Serviant explains: "Orange Business Services has created a new business territory to support business, government and developing smart cities in the transforming growth markets of the Gulf countries and wider Middle East. The new regional organisation will comprise around 2 500 staff, with the regional headquarters based in Dubai, Johannesburg and a major service centre operation in Cairo."
Serviant believes a lack of investment in new infrastructure has been an inhibiting factor in the MEA, but he adds Africa is leading the way in mobility solutions which are transforming the continent's ability to support entrepreneurs and SMEs - from mobile banking to mobile payments.
Speaking of his short-term goals, he notes his priority is to focus on supporting customers in an unpredictable and slower economy, and to move from the basic connectivity services traditionally offered by the company to working as partners in their digital business transformation journey.
"In Africa, Orange is developing Orange Money, and our learnings in the mobile banking sector in Africa are being taken back to France where we are launching our own mobile-only retail bank. The business is actively consulting and implementing major infrastructure and large-scale integration projects in the Gulf countries such as smart cities, smart solutions for healthcare, as well as network solutions and services for multinational companies and large regional organisations.
"We are convinced that our consulting and project management teams in MEA will play an important role in supporting this process as a partner in digital transformation with real world experiences," he concludes.
Orange Business Services operates across MEA, with several local entities in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, SA and most recently in Lagos, Nigeria.
Share