The GSMA Board has re-elected the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Orange Group, Stéphane Richard, as GSMA Board Chair. The Board has elected the Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of Verizon, Rima Qureshi, as Board Deputy Chair. Both appointments are for the two years from January 2021 through December 2022.
As GSMA Chair, Richard will continue to oversee the strategic direction of the GSMA, with the support of Qureshi, as Deputy Chair. The GSMA Board comprises the world’s largest operator groups and smaller independent operators with global reach.
“It is a privilege and an honour to continue to serve as Chair of the GSM Association, representing a mobile industry that contributes $4.1 trillion to global GDP. 2020 proved what the mobile ecosystem has known for decades: the true relevance of robust and resilient mobile networks. Mobile connectivity has shown its ability to support our lives and the economy. It is humbling and inspiring to see the whole world lean on the mobile industry like never before,” said Orange Group’s Chairman & Chief Executive Officer and GSMA Board Chair, Stéphane Richard. “Yet 3.4 billion people can’t afford mobile services or don’t know how to use them. To help close this digital divide, we must increase our efforts to reduce digital inequalities with more affordable smartphones and data plans, as well as training and better network infrastructure in rural areas.”
“Thanks to my colleagues across the Board for the opportunity to serve as Deputy Chair to the GSMA. As we look to the future, equal access to network technology is essential for universal growth and vitality,” said Verizon’s Executive Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer and GSMA Board Deputy Chair, Rima Qureshi. “Our sector is central to providing the mobility, broadband and cloud technology services to individuals and companies as they work to become more resilient. I’m excited to work with the GSMA to help ensure we realize the full potential of things like 5G technology to level the playing field and thrive as a global community.”
The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting more than 750 operators with almost 400 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors.
According to GSMA Intelligence, the world’s mobile operators will invest a forecasted $1.1 trillion worldwide between now and 2025, and that roughly 80% will be in 5G networks.
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