Hatem Dowidar will step down as group chief executive of Abu Dhabi-based digital networks and services group e& on 31 March, concluding a six-year tenure that oversaw a period of international expansion and transformation. He will be succeeded by Masood M. Sharif Mahmood, currently CEO of e& UAE, who will assume the group CEO role from 1 April while continuing to lead the domestic operation.
In a statement announcing his departure, Dowidar said: “It has been an honour to lead e& during a defining chapter in its history. I am proud of what we have accomplished together, transforming our business, expanding internationally and building new growth engines for the future.” Mahmood, who has 25 years of experience in the communications, investment and tech sectors, thanked Dowider for his leadership, expressed his gratitude for being given the “opportunity to lead this ambitious global company,” and said he looks forward to “building on our shared achievements with our talented teams, OpCos and partners worldwide.”
The leadership transition comes as e& reports strong financial performance. The group posted a 23.1% increase in full-year revenues to 72.9bn dirhams ($19.85bn), while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose 21.1% to 32bn dirhams ($8.7bn). By the end of 2025, e&’s international operations, including those of Telenor Pakistan—now part of e&-controlled PTCL—served 244.7m subscribers, up 31.3% year-on-year. Domestically, e& UAE closed the year with 16.3m subscribers, reflecting growth of 8.4%.
Elsewhere in the telecom sector, leadership shifts and strategic resets continue to shape the industry landscape. In January 2025, the board of Telefónica removed its long-serving chairman and CEO José María Álvarez-Pallete, appointing Marc Murtra as his replacement. Murtra subsequently introduced a new cost-saving corporate strategy. Spanish media outlet OKDiario later reported that Álvarez-Pallete received total compensation of €44.51m in 2025, including a €23.5m severance payment.
Meanwhile, Deutsche Telekom has intensified its artificial intelligence initiatives ahead of MWC26, unveiling a series of AI-focused developments and partnerships. Among them is CoMind, described as a modular conversational AI platform featuring chat and voice bots designed to function as digital colleagues for dialogue-driven customer communication. The operator has also partnered with Parloa to integrate its AI Agent Management Platform with Deutsche Telekom’s services, further expanding its AI-driven customer engagement capabilities.
In the wholesale market, iBasis is preparing to finalise its acquisition of the international wholesale voice, IPX and messaging business of Australian operator Telstra. First announced in September 2025, the transaction will transfer Telstra International’s wholesale customer base and operations to France-based iBasis, significantly strengthening its presence across the Asia-Pacific region. iBasis, which serves more than 1,000 customers across 28 markets, is expected to begin migrating Telstra’s customer base in the coming days.
The developments underscore a period of transition and strategic realignment across the global telecommunications industry, marked by executive reshuffles, digital transformation efforts and continued consolidation.
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