Etisalat, the UAE based telecoms operator is reportedly bracing up for a top management overhaul. The shakeup could entail covering in for the retirement of its long serving chairman as well as appointing a new group chief executive.

According to sources, the anticipated changes in the telco’s top management will witness the exit of several top-notch executives including Chairman Mohamed Omran; expected to retire later in the year. In addition, the stock exchange could also see an announcement coming by this week.

In hindsight, the Abu Dhabi-listed former monopoly’s group financial officer Salem Al Sharhan had exited the company in April, citing personal reasons.

The telco in which the government owns 60 percent stakes, had posted a drop in profits by 14.9 percent, the preceding month; attributed to rising operating costs, in addition to increasing competition in its home market from Dubai-based operator du.

It has been announced by the UAE based Emirates Integrated Telecommunications (Du) that it has repaid in full, the $817 million dual currency syndicated loan facility, the company had availed of as part of its continuing capital optimization programme.

The company had put to use existing financing facilities, in addition to cash to settle the loan. It was due for repayment to the syndicate of 16 banks until 30 June, 2011.

According to Osman Sultan, Chief Executive Officer of Du, they were pleased to have been in a commendable position to be able to repay the loan facility.

The $817 million medium term strategic financing instrument was offered in 2008 as du’s debut debt. The loan had made it possible for du to dish out network infrastructure at a fast pace, in addition to putting in place greater capability and capacity so as to be able to deliver services to additional customers spread out across the UAE.

H.E Mohammed Omran, “Etisalat” Chairman has addressed the opening session of the 10th Arab Telecom and Internet Forum, which is held in Beirut.

In his address Omran reviewed the different business models pursued by “Etisalat” in the face of the challenges ahead for the sector, such as the advanced networking provided by “Etisalat” in the UAE, which enabled optical fiber and actively participated in the creation of a distinctive network able to deal seamlessly with the increase in content and customers` requirements besides the convergence between voice, data and multimedia.

Omran said “access to the internet, which was reached today, set a new standard in sector regulations and public perceptions. The Internet today is a basic need for everyone which must be available for each individual with a fast access to the networks to save time and efforts.

Omran stated the role of governments in various markets in attracting investments in the technology and information to disseminate the latest techniques that ensure competitiveness economies and as a gate to global markets, especially after the world became a small village following the spread of Internet and the latest telecommunications services.

The forum attendees praised the readiness of the “Etisalat” network, which qualified customers in the UAE and the countries they operate in to access the Internet at a very high speeds, whether it was through the fiber optic network or mobile phone. They also commended on the development the UAE is witnessing through the adoption of latest techniques and technology that has become comparable to what is offered and compete in more developed countries.

Omran said we are now heading towards the future and therefore it is expected that the development and innovation in Internet services could turn directions require multiple levels and sources of investment, whether to build networks or different content. To accommodate this boom has to be partnership between service providers and content providers to enable the digital services generations to come.

On response to audience questions on who will win the largest share of the revenues, services providers or vendors of smart phones? Omran said we must consider this equation in a different way. The next challenge rather than who will benefit more, but how we can work together to provide practical experience for the consumer, and to utilize the user-peer service that effectively pay for it. As long as we consider this a competitive issue, we will achieve our common goals. Yet we all must work together to ensure that all parties to a fair return on their investment specially for companies that invested in the development of networks to provide Internet services of any kind and at competitive prices.

And by the increase demand for data roaming by customers in different markets, our work is to provide fast and high-quality and safe to meet the changes of growth in data traffic, which occurs at rates too fast and is a pressure on the providers of infrastructure to be strengthened to ensure the customer experience satisfying and richer “Omran said”.

He concluded by 2015 it is expected there will be one connected device for every person on the planet, and then at least 50bn more machines that have the capacity to be connected through Machine-to-Machine technologies. Therefore, although consolidation is coming and many small and medium-sized Groups may exit. Yet there remains a significant market to be serviced by companies capable of identifying and servicing a niche. Whatever happens, Etisalat has the size already, the knowhow and the financial power, geographic reach and technological expertise to be one of the key players in the future and in the world.

The Forum was attended by Arab Telecom and Internet Forum at its tenth session a group of Arab Ministers of Communications and corporate leaders and heads of associations and international associations on the telecommunications sector and information and the executive heads of the Arab telecom companies and foreign as well as representatives of regulators and experts mergers and acquisitions bankers, companies providing Internet services and software, applications and organizations information of local and regional levels.