Appointed as Chief Executive Officer of e& life in February 2022, Khalifa Al Shamsi is responsible for expanding the digital portfolio of the business pillar of e& that brings the next generation digital world to the consumer’s fingertips, utilising the latest technologies, smart platforms and apps in fintech, entertainment, retail and mobility services.

Khalifa’s extensive expertise in telecom and digital services, coupled with a strong commercial and technical background, has also played a key role in the success of Etisalat UAE, rebranded as etisalat by e&. Backed by 29 years of experience in the telecom, media, and ICT industries, he spearheaded the Group’s first move into the technology space with the successful deployment of mobile services, fibre-based broadband and advanced data services.

Harnessing the company's ambition to create a ‘larger-than-life’ customer experience, Khalifa will add next-gen technology and service offerings to the portfolio of e& life, bring the dynamic digital world into the hands of consumers, utilising the latest technologies, smart platforms and applications in fintech, entertainment, retail and mobility services, as well as curating and capturing new opportunities in the digital marketplace.

In his previous role as the Group Chief Corporate Strategy & Governance Officer of e&, Khalifa contributed significantly to formulating the vision and future strategic priorities of the organisation, developing robust strategic initiatives in alignment  with the long term directorial vision of the company.

Dena Al Mansoori is the Group Chief AI and Data Officer at e&, leading the organization’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data strategy with a focus on revolutionising customer experiences, unlocking new revenue streams, and optimising internal operational efficiencies and employee productivity. 

She previously served as the Group's Chief Human Resources Officer, driving cultural transformation and workplace technology innovations. She also played a key role in e&'s transition from a regional telco to an innovative global technology group. 

Starting her career in the Data & Consulting Department at Schlumberger, Dena has over two decades of experience working with Fortune 500 companies across multiple continents. A proven leader in crafting innovative strategies, fostering progressive cultures, and harnessing emerging technologies, she has made her mark across diverse and complex industries and geographies. Before joining e& in 2020, she was the Founder & CEO of WhiteBox HR, an award-winning AI tech company that has successfully scaled across the region, placing her on the cover of Entrepreneur Magazine. Her innovative and transformative practices have also been the focus of a recent Harvard Business School Case Study. Dena holds a Bachelor’s degree from Boston University and an MBA from the University of Strathclyde, with an additional certification in AI from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and serves as a Mentor for tech startups.

Dr. Karim Bennis was appointed as Group Chief Financial Officer of e& in May 2020. Prior to this, he was Vice President, Financial Control and Planning of e& for seven years, having started his journey with e& in 2013. His previous positions include Deputy Managing Director and CFO at Tractafric Motors Corporation, Financial Controller, Strategic Planning, Subsidiaries Management and Investor Relations of Maroc Telecom - as a secondee of Vivendi Group - as well as Financial Controller of Crown Cork Holdings.

Alongside his strong expertise in telecoms, Karim has garnered international experience in Europe across several industries, including manufacturing, retail and heavy equipment and is fluent in English, French and Arabic.

Dr. Bennis is a member of the Board and Audit Committee of Etisalat Egypt, Maroc Telecom Group in Morocco, Mobily in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL Group) and Atlantique Telecom Holding.

He holds a PhD in Economics and Technology from Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers in Paris, a Master’s degree in Economics and Corporate Finance from Sciences-Po, Paris, a Master’s degree in Audit and Management Accounting from SKEMA Business School and an Executive MBA from École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées. Additionally, he has completed the Executive Chief Financial Officer Program at Columbia Business School in New York.

Obaid Bokisha is the Group Chief Operations Officer (COO) at e&. He is responsible for implementing best practice strategies for growing revenues and developing service delivery models that exceed customer expectations.

He joined e& in 1998 and has held several senior leadership roles within the group, including Senior Vice President of Mobile Networks, Chief Procurement Officer, Chief Business Continuity and Corporate Quality Officer, and Group Chief Transformation Officer. In October 2021, he became Group COO of e&, where he oversees Procurement and Contracts, Carrier and Wholesale Services, Technology, Corporate Support, and Business Continuity for the group. He also holds the position of Managing Director, Etisalat Services Holding and serves as the Chairman of E-marine.

Obaid’s e& journey began in mobile network planning, focusing on network optimisation, the introduction of new technologies, and the design of strategies to enhance mobile network performance. He was quickly promoted to lead the group’s mobile network operations across its operating countries while chairing and participating in technical bids for e&’s international expansion.

In 2012, he was appointed as the Group Chief Procurement and Contracts Officer. In 2017, he assumed the role of Chief Business Continuity and Corporate Quality Officer, spearheading the group’s business continuity and crisis management framework. In 2020, he stepped into the role of Group Chief Transformation Officer, steering the company’s robust transformation efforts. In June 2021, he assumed the role of Acting Group Chief Procurement Officer in addition to his role as Group Chief Transformation Officer.

In 2008, Obaid was appointed as a board member of Etisalat Nigeria, which helped him further develop his investment and commercial acumen. He also served on the board of Zantel in Tanzania and was Chairman of Canar Telecom in Sudan. Currently, he holds board memberships, including Chairman of E-marine, board member of e& Egypt, Managing Director of Etisalat Services Holding, and board member with a role in the audit committee of evision.

Obaid is an executive who has grown through the technology function, gaining deep knowledge and experience in the telecom industry and within e&. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Telecommunications after graduating with distinction from Etisalat College in 1998.

Masood M. Sharif Mahmood is the Chief Executive Officer of e& in UAE.

With an illustrious career and a strong drive for results, Masood is a true people leader, focused on bringing growth in e& UAE, the telecoms pillar of e& in the UAE. Masood drives the company’s strategic priorities through a lens of operational efficiency, generating value creation and having a customer-centric approach to drive sustainable growth.

While his primary focus in UAE are the commercial functions, technology, and IT encompassing all areas in the country, his expertise in operational and financial areas has led to developing high-performing teams, establishing a collaborative and growth-oriented work culture, and executing development strategies that have elevated business performance in his past assignments.

Masood brings over 21 years of experience with a proven accomplishment record of building and transforming businesses in communication and technology.

During his last leadership role, he was the CEO for around a decade of Yahsat, a global satellite communications company, wholly owned by Mubadala Investment Company. Since his appointment in 2012, Masood has managed its operational capabilities on a government and commercial level. He successfully expanded the business’ global footprint, having overseen Yahsat’s operations growth into 50 markets.

He led and executed the successful consolidation of UAE’s commercial space sector with Yahsat’s acquisition of the mobile satellite operator (Thuraya), leading to considerable shareholder value creation, a key pre-requisite and enabler for Yahsat’s public debut in 2021. Prior to joining Yahsat, Masood was the Vice President at Mubadala, where he headed the ICT department and steered the corporate strategy and asset management of its strategic portfolio, such as Yahsat and Injazat.

Masood also has ten years of experience in investment management and business development, holding various executive positions within government and semi-government entities such as Dubai Investment Group, and the Executive Office of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Mohamed Dukandar was appointed Chief Internal Control & Audit Officer of e& in September 2016.

He has over 26 years of experience in governance, risk management, compliance, insurance, internal and external audit, as well as fraud investigations across the Middle East, Asia and Africa. He is a successful leader with strong expertise in overseeing and implementing best-in-class risk management and internal audit practices in multinational businesses.

Dukandar is known for providing strategic input and high-level insight on aspects related to internal controls, innovation, best practices and compliance-related trends while establishing strong governance disciplines that ensure a compliance-driven business culture. A firm believer in building strong relationships, his primary focus in his role as a business partner and trusted advisor is maintaining a balanced, robust, risk-mitigating and compliance-driven culture.

Dukandar began his career as an auditor with KPMG in 1996 and subsequently worked at the National Treasury of South Africa as the Director of Risk Management, and at the City of Johannesburg as the Group Head of Risk and Audit, overseeing its 19 entities. In 2009, he assumed the role of Group Executive, Telkom Audit Services of Telkom South Africa SOC Limited. He is an active participant and long-term member of industry associations such as the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) and the Global Institute of Internal Auditors Inc. (IIA). He has also served on multiple boards and audit committees throughout his career.

At e&, he serves on the audit and risk committees of various subsidiaries such as PTCL, PTML, Etisalat Egypt, Afghanistan, ESH and until recently, Maroc Telecom. He is also an active member of e&’s key governance committees, including the Information Security Council, Group Enterprise Risk Management Committee and Group Compliance Steering Committee.

Dukandar holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa and an Honours degree in Accounting from the University of South Africa. He is also an experienced and professional Chartered Accountant (SA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and Control Self Assessor (CCSA).

Mr. Ahizoune has been Chairman of the Maroc Telecom Management Board since February 2001 and served as CEO from 1998 to 2001.

Earlier, he was Minister of Telecommunications in four different governments. Mr. Ahizoune has been Chairman of the Moroccan Royal Athletics Federation since 2006, and also serves as a Board member of several foundations: Inter Alia, King Mohammed V for solidarity, King Mohammed VI for the environmental protection, and Princess Lalla Salma against cancer.

He is also the VicePresident of La Confédération Générale des Enterprises du Maroc (CGEM) and the President of its MoroccanEmirati economic commission. He holds an engineering degree from Télécom ParisTech.

Eng. Salman AlBadran was appointed as the CEO of Mobily in April 2019. Prior to this appointment, he was the CEO of VIVA Kuwait since January 2011 after joining the company in 2008 and completing its commercial launch. Mr. AlBadran started his career with SABIC in 1996 and then made his foray into the Telecom sector in 2001 with Saudi Telecom Company. Mr. AlBadran holds a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Electrical Engineering with a specialization in the field of Communication and Energy from King Fahad University of Petroleum & Minerals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Hazem Metwally was appointed Chief Executive Officer of e& Egypt in October 2015. He joined e& Egypt in 2007 as Chief Commercial Officer managing sales, marketing, and customer care functions. In 2012, he was promoted to Chief Operating Officer expanding his responsibilities to include Carriers Relations and Wholesale Operations.

Prior to joining e& Egypt, he was the Head of Consumer Marketing at Vodafone Egypt where he played an important role in launching several innovative commercial initiatives. Before that, he was the Head of Distribution at Mobinil Egypt.

He started his telecom career in 1999 in sales distribution and operations focusing on both consumer and corporate segments. Metwally holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering from Cairo University.

Mr. Hatem Bamatraf is a seasoned telecommunications executive with over 26 years of experience in management and leadership roles across the fields of technology operations and enterprise & business development around Middle East and the Asia region. He is currently serving as the President & Group CEO of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) and Ufone. As a globally recognized tech expert, he is a member of the board of directors in a number of e& affiliates.

Mr. Hatem started his professional career with the e& in 1995 as an engineer in its mobile team and steadily rose through the ranks to assume higher roles. In 2007, he joined Telecom Company, du as Senior Vice President Network Development and later as head of Enterprise Business Unit and helped the company strengthen its market position. Earlier, he had a 3 years stint as Executive Director of Technology at Mobily, Saudi Arabia. He joined Etisalat again in 2013 as Chief Technology Officer, a position he held for over 8 years till assuming his new role as the Head of PTCL Group in Pakistan. He also served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Etisalat technology services from 2014 to 2018.

He is a graduate of the Etisalat College of Engineering, and holds a Bachelor degree of Engineering in Communication. He is also an INSEAD Executive Business School graduate and was awarded by the Global Telecom Business as one of the 40 Under 40 Telecom Leaders in the world.