GSMA Announces Speakers for Mobile 360 Series – Africa

The GSMA on Wednesday announced the first speakers for the 2016 Mobile 360 Series – Africa conference. The event will take place 26 – 28 July at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Tigo has been confirmed as Platinum Sponsor for the event, CM Groep and TransferTo Inc. as Silver Sponsors, and Huawei is the Global Industry Supporter for the full Mobile 360 Series of conferences taking place throughout 2016.

Additionally, Mobile 360 – Africa is fully endorsed by the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) and the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA).

“The mobile industry is playing a key role in driving digital, financial and social inclusion in many African countries by providing access to essential information and services, and Mobile 360 – Africa will convene key stakeholders to examine the practical steps needed to overcome critical roadblocks in technology, governance, business models and investment,” said Michael O’Hara, chief marketing officer, GSMA. “Sub-Saharan Africa has been the fastest-growing mobile market over the last five years, both in subscribers and connections, and our research shows that it will remain so through at least 2020. It is an exciting time in Africa’s development and the dynamics of this diverse market will be reflected across the entire Mobile 360 – Africa agenda.”

At Mobile 360 – Africa, CEOs and senior executives from leading mobile companies and from players across the digital ecosystem will address the most pressing trends and issues in mobile. Speakers confirmed to present at Mobile 360 – Africa include: Razvan Ungureanu, Chief Technical Officer, Airtel Africa; Dr. Omobola Johnson, Chairperson, Alliance for Affordable Internet; Bradley Shaw, Founder, Continuum Consulting; Shiletsi Makhofane, Head of Government and Industry Relations, Ericsson Sub-Saharan Africa; Mats Granryd, Director General, GSMA; Qiu Heng, President of Wireless Marketing Operations, Wireless Network Product Line, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. and Alice Munyua, Board of Trustees, Internet Society (ISOC).

Others are, Kwame Baah-Acheamfuor, Chairman, ITU-T Study Group 12; Ari Zlotoff, Director of Expansion, Off-Grid Electric; Christopher Richardson, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, ONEm; Arnauld Blondet, Head of Innovation, Africa and Middle East, Orange Group; Diego Gutierrez, Chief Executive Officer, MIC Tanzania (Tigo) and Ian Ferrao, CEO, Vodacom Tanzania.

The event will comprise thought-provoking keynote addresses, fireside chats, and panel discussions.

With the overall event theme of “Accelerating Access for All to Create a Digitally Inclusive Society”, each session will tackle a different aspect of the empowerment story, such as ‘Developing Ecosystems for Future Digital Services’, ‘Creating Opportunities for Local Content’ and much more.

In addition to the main conference, Mobile 360 – Africa will highlight the initiatives and activities undertaken by the GSMA Mobile for Development programme.

The event will focus on the GSMA’s work to increase access to and use of life-enhancing mobile services; acceleration of socio-economic improvements for the underserved, especially women, rural and youth; and particularly digital and financial inclusion and identity for the unregistered.

GSMA Jumpstart
Back for a second year is the GSMA’s Jumpstart programme, which invites start-ups to showcase their mobile innovations in the region.

This start-up pitch platform will feature six to eight exciting, early-stage entrepreneurs, with each giving a five-minute pitch to a panel of operators, investors, and to the audience, followed by questions.

The pitch session will be followed by an informal networking reception for participants and the audience.