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29th position places Zain CEO first among Middle East & African peers.

Leading industry magazine Global Telecoms has ranked Dr Saad Al Barrak in 29th position most influential telecom executive over the century in its top 100 survey.

In its October issue, the magazine verbatim wrote that ‘Dr Al Barrak expanded Kuwait’s MTC into the Middle East, then bought Celtel in Africa and rebranded the lot as Zain — now one of the most powerful brands in a wide part of the world. His colleagues say he is inspirational: he is certainly dynamic and very ambitious. And fast-talking. Al-Barrak runs what is probably the most diverse telecoms company in the world, employing people of around 100 nationalities, and has won powerful influence: presidents helped celebrate the rebranding and Zain sponsored Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday concert. Zain is looking for further acquisitions, almost certainly not just in the developing world, and Al-Barrak will become one of the most influential executives in the industry.’

Attaining the highest ranking among his Middle East and African peers, Dr Al Barrak said, “I hope my ranking inspires other executives from the region to be daring and different in their business dealings and to dedicate their careers to the betterment of humanity in the same way Zain has.”

Zain has recently received worldwide recognition for the introduction of the world’s first borderless mobile service “One Network” that abolishes high roaming charges for Zain customers in 16 countries. Affordable cross-border communications offers the opportunity for loved ones to stay in touch, as well being an impetus in stimulating economic activity, improving the livelihoods of many communities.

Notably for Zain, its African CEO Mr Chris Gabriel was ranked 85th.

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About Zain

Zain is a leading emerging markets player in the field of telecommunications aiming to become one of the top ten mobile operators in the world by 2011.

Zain was established in 1983 in Kuwait as the region’s first mobile operator. Since 2003, it has grown significantly becoming the 4th largest mobile network in the world in terms of geographic presence with a footprint in 22 countries spread across the Middle East and Africa providing mobile voice and data services to 56.3 million active customers (as at 30 September 2008).

Zain operates in the following countries: Bahrain, Burkina Faso, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Malawi, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. In Lebanon, the company manages the network on behalf of the government operating as mtc-touch. The company’s mobile operations in Ghana will begin by the end of 2008.

The Zain brand is wholly owned by Mobile Telecommunications Company KSC, which is listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (Stock ticker: ZAIN). The company had a market capitalization of over US$ 23.4 billion on 30 September, 2008.

You can learn more about this press release by visiting - www.zain.com

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