In an exclusive interview with Telecom Review, Karim Benkirane, Chief Commercial Officer of du, one of the leading telecom providers in the UAE, shed light on du's latest developments in providing tailored solutions for entrepreneurs and small businesses, their initiatives towards addressing the climate and sustainability agenda, and their target sectors for technology-driven solutions. These insights demonstrated du's commitment to innovation, sustainability, and their strategic approach to empowering businesses in the digital era.
Please tell us about du's latest developments in providing customized solutions for entrepreneurs and small businesses in the UAE.
du, as a telecommunications company, has always prioritized micro segmentation of the UAE market. Specifically, when it comes to the enterprise sector, du focuses on small businesses and diligently identifies sub-segments that possess significant use cases and show potential for development. Recognizing the importance of supporting entrepreneurs, du plays a pivotal role as a key enabler, offering a robust ecosystem designed to empower startups. From assisting in building websites to providing various services, du endeavors to ensure that startups have the necessary tools and resources to scale up and thrive in the dynamic business landscape.
With more and more consumers becoming conscious about the climate and sustainability agenda, what steps is du taking to address this important topic?
Ensuring sustainability is not just an agenda, but a core part of our strategy at du. With a resolute commitment towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2030, we actively participate in committees dedicated to delivering this objective. Our efforts in embracing renewable energy have led us to installing solar panels at over 78 stations and sites, a number that continues to grow by approximately 30% each year. Additionally, we have extended our reach to 178 sites with hybrid generators, further reducing our reliance on traditional energy sources. Complementing these initiatives, we strive to eliminate plastic waste from our operations entirely. These concrete actions manifest our determination to fulfill our sustainability objectives and create a lasting positive impact.
As emerging technologies are integrated across industry verticals, what are du's target sectors for providing technology-driven solutions? And why have they been chosen?
At du, we are dedicated to addressing the needs of various stakeholders in the UAE, including governments, private sectors, large enterprises, and small businesses. We recognize the importance of understanding their unique challenges and the requirements needed to assist them in their digital transformation journey. As a key enabler in the region, we continuously strive to develop innovative solutions and foster an ecosystem that supports our customers. Through strategic partnerships with other industry leaders, we are committed to delivering on our promise of enabling social connections and empowering our customers; be it government entities, private companies, or businesses of all sizes.
