Top 100 Arabs 2024

45. Hatem Dowidar

Group CEO, e&

Origin: Egypt

Residence: UAE

Sector: Telecoms

2023 Rank: 46

Dowidar leads e& Group, which is a giant in the telecommunications sector in the Middle East. The network’s subscriber base grew 4 per cent year-on-year to top 169 million subscribers last year. For the full financial year, the company’s revenue also soared 8.3 per cent last year to hit Dhs53.8bn, while it recorded net profits of Dhs10.3bn, marking a 3 per cent rise. The telecoms group has also been a leader in pushing the boundaries on 5G technologies, with it reaching a new milestone at GITEX Global 2023 with a pilot test achieving a download speed exceeding 13 Gbps. The company last year also introduced the world’s first AI-empowered autonomous telecom store ‘EASE,’ and it also launched a new electric vehicle charging service dubbed ‘Charge&Go.’ Collaborations with Ericsson, Earthlink, Intel, and global alliances in AI for telecoms showcase e&’s commitment to technological advancements. Its presence in 16 countries across the Middle East, Asia and Africa has also given it tremendous global clout.

Mohamed Mansour

Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi