Under the annual theme ‘Global. Regional. Digital,’ the 18th edition of the Telecom Review Leaders’ Summit successfully wrapped up its two-day event, bringing together a diverse group of professionals, including telecom operators, vendors, industry regulators, government officials, content providers, cybersecurity experts, consultants, and other notable attendees.
The Telecom Review Leaders’ Summit solidified its status as one of the most prominent and highly anticipated ICT events in the industry. Thousands of distinguished guests participated, representing various facets of the ICT sector. The event was supported by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) and featured an esteemed roster of sponsors, including du, Netcracker, Huawei, PMP Strategy, Eurisko, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Cisco, Comarch, PCCW Global Console Connect, MYCOM OSI, NEC, Nokia, Salam, TELUS, Apptium, Fortinet, InfraX, Related, Sofrecom, Verizon, YUVO, AvanteBSS, Emircom, Pure Storage, Telcovas, Telecom Egypt, and ZTE.
From December 10–11, 2024, the Ritz-Carlton Dubai’s expansive conference hall and exhibition area bustled with activity and served as a space for engaging sessions, meaningful networking, and brand promotion.
Telecom Review Leaders’ Summit
Opening the floor of the 18th edition of the Telecom Review Leaders’ Summit, Founder of Telecom Review, and CEO of Trace Media International, Toni Eid, addressed the audience with a welcome note, sharing Telecom Review’s milestones and highlighting the industry’s most notable achievements. "These milestones demonstrate not only our growth but also our unwavering commitment to recognizing the leaders within the telecom and ICT industry, year after year," he remarked.
This year’s summit raised the bar higher than ever, thanks to the participation of leading figures in the ICT industry from across the globe, representing regions such as the Middle East, Africa, North America, and the Asia Pacific.
During the first day of the summit, Sylvain Seignour, President of Netcracker Technology, and Issam Eid, CMO Africa, Levant, KSA, and Qatar, Telecom Review Group, discussed the evolving role of telecom operators in a digital-first world.
Seignour explained that Netcracker helps operators navigate data management and evolve into innovative tech providers by offering AI-driven digital solutions. "We assist telecom operators in maximizing their return on investment and capitalizing on new opportunities in a rapidly changing telecom landscape," he said. He emphasized that each operator's digital transformation requires a customized approach, as no two operators are alike.
Prominent ICT leaders within the North America region also participated on insightful panels about network cloudification, infrastructure strategies, cybersecurity, and the expanding role of hyperscalers.
Telecom Review Excellence Awards
A key highlight of the summit was the annual Telecom Review Excellence Awards ceremony, which honored the outstanding ICT brands and leaders for their achievements over the past year. The awards were followed by the annual gala dinner.
Jeff Seal, Chief of the Awards Committee, Managing Partner, and Editor-in-Chief of Telecom Review Americas, remarked, “In 2024, the Telecom Review Excellence Awards set a new benchmark, attracting significant industry interest with a record-breaking number of global nominations. To accommodate this, we introduced more distinct awards on a global and regional scale. These awards remain the industry standard for peer recognition, thanks to the thorough deliberation by our esteemed panel of global experts. Congratulations to all the winners, and we look forward to another celebration of excellence next year!"
Reflecting on the summit’s success, Toni Eid, Founder of Telecom Review, and CEO of Trace Media International, expressed his gratitude, stating, "I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all the ICT leaders who have been brought together through this summit. Join us next year for a groundbreaking 19th edition.”
This year, the awards were divided into global and regional categories. The full list of winners can be found here.
The Summit’s Impact: Praises from ICT’s Brightest Minds
Hear from the leaders who attended the 18th Telecom Review Leaders’ Summit as they share their thoughts on the event’s impact, insights, and success. These testimonials reflect the value of collaboration, innovation, and excellence that defined this year’s gathering.
Monty Hamilton, Chief Product & Marketing Officer, TELUS Digital
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Telecom Review Leaders’ Summit, connecting with other like-minded leaders, and sitting right on top of a wave of opportunity within the telecom sector that is serving as a great source of energy.
Dr. Bilel Jamousi, Deputy to the Director and Chief of Telecommunication Standardization Policy, ITU
We're incredibly grateful to Telecom Review for hosting the ITU CxO meeting for the sixth time at this remarkable summit. This year’s discussions highlighted strong synergies among executives, fostering collaboration as we drive the digital future forward.
Anup Gupta, President of the SAARC Region, APTelecom
It is very important for us to attend because we get to see a lot of what will come tomorrow. Many of the discussions are very eye-opening. It’s important for us to meet industry peers, and this is one of the best events we've seen in recent days.
Shazia Sobani, Vice President Fibre Networks, TELUS
This is an important global platform which brings the talent and perspectives of leaders and experts from across the globe together to discuss what's happening today and the challenges faced by our industry.
Rick Kapani, Founder and CEO, Apptium
Telecom Review is revered throughout the industry as it fosters high-caliber conversations, dissects meaningful topics and brings the vendor community together; thus, we are able to collaborate through thoughts, ideas, and even disagreements.
Gagan Tandon, Chief Data and AI Officer, TELUS Digital
I want to express my thanks to the event organizers who brought together a cohort of executive leaders in telecom and artificial intelligence as they are the ones making the most impact in this industry.
Jennifer Parkhill, Senior Director Strategy Execution, Program Management, Verizon Partner Solutions
It’s been great meeting with our customers and partners in the region. Telecom Review offers the opportunity to connect and learn about the progress companies are making in GenAI and 5G adoption and provides insight into the future global environment.
Gina Perini, CEO, Somos
Being here allows me to be around innovators and the people who are solving tough problems in the industry and bringing exciting innovation to all consumers across the world. This is the place you really want to be.
Andrew Douglas, Senior Director, Global Telco Lead, Pure Storage
It has been a great experience so far. We have really enjoyed it over the last couple of days. Apart from a wide variety of very rich content, it brings us up-to-date on where things are heading.
Maria Stebneva, Head of Sales, Canada, Juniper Networks
The Telecom Review Leaders’ Summit is a fantastic event. Toni and his team are doing a fantastic job in bringing together special talents from the executive level who are sharing innovative ideas alongside basic ideas (such as how to build a common infrastructure). What I like about the discussions is that they all make sense.
Tony Geheran, President, Strategic Broadband Consulting
This is my second year attending the Telecom Review Leaders’ Summit; similar to last year, it's been a great experience. It's really interesting to see the experiences encountered in this region and the dynamics of it; it contrasts my experiences in Canada.
Issa Chini, COO, One37
Attending the 18th edition of the Telecom Review Leaders' Summit was invaluable to me as it provided a unique platform to connect with global leaders in the telecom and ICT sectors. The Summit was a vibrant hub of ideas, innovation, and networking opportunities, enabling me to stay ahead of the trends and challenges in today’s fast-paced ICT ecosystem.
Andreas Hipp, Executive Chair, ConnectiviTree
I have to thank Toni, who invited me to join the summit. For me, to close the year and have some face-to-face meetings and a bit of personal time with some well-known partners and customers is very valuable. I also appreciate the content that is shared by a lot of the leaders here.
