In an exclusive interview with Telecom Review, Gilles Vaqué, President and Managing Partner at PMP Strategy, elaborated on how the firm is uniquely positioned to lead the financial services, transport, and energy sectors in addition to their core expertise in the TMT sectors (telecom, media and culture, and technology) in the Middle East and globally.
What are the core factors that differentiate PMP Strategy from other consulting firms operating in the Middle East and globally, particularly in relation to your approach to client relationships and strategic solutions?
PMP Strategy stands out in several ways. Firstly, we have a very deep understanding across four industries with partners who are recognized experts in their respective sector. We are not generalist consultants; we are multi-specialists, focusing on a few sectors in which we want to be the best business partners.
Secondly, our partners are former CXOs (Chief Experience Officers) and strategy consultants with extensive operational experience and deep strategic insight. Our unique model goes beyond recommendations by providing support all the way from initial strategic positioning through to achieving real results. For instance, we can start based off merger and acquisition (M&A) files, business plans, due diligences, go/no go recommendations, transformation framing, diversification advice, and the shareholder strategies phase, and go all the way through the process to execution and tangible results. This unique hand-in-hand model establishes us as true business partners for our clients.
We benefit greatly from our strong presence in Europe and North America. Our global headquarters are in Paris, and we have a large base in London, Brussels, Luxembourg, and Madrid. We benefit from a very strong foothold in the United States, with our North American headquarters in New York City and a West Coast office in Seattle. In Canada, we have offices in both Toronto and Montreal. In the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, we have a long-standing presence in Casablanca. Dubai is our key office in the Middle East and we are opening an office in Riyadh—And that’s just the beginning. We see enormous potential for us to help clients transform and accelerate their businesses in the region.
We share best practices across our different sectors and locations with multiple industries. Our deep expertise allows us to provide tailored guidance that addresses the unique challenges and opportunities of each client.
Our 360° capability and vision helps funds invest and choose their data center strategy, the best set-up, and the right ecosystem to build scalable businesses for these multi-billion-dollar projects. We help operators diversify into business-to-business (B2B) and information and communication technology (ICT) and transform internally by rethinking their IT and ‘make-or-buy?’ transformation strategy, many projects for which our ‘strategy to execution’ expertise is key.
Our broad ability to address complex issues enables us to provide tailor-made solutions, avoiding the one-size-fits-all standard.
We work closely with our clients to develop strategies that are innovative and practical and align with their long-term goals. To implement these strategies, we emphasize building capabilities and ecosystems that help our clients implement operational changes and achieve sustainable growth.
Our recent project in which we helped a telecom operator launch a new fintech is also a very good example of our personalized support. We helped them right up to launch day, bringing expertise in finance, marketing, distribution, technology, compliance, how to launch new businesses, how to disrupt a market... And they were amazed by the early results and numbers.
In a world increasingly driven by technology and innovation, what role does PMP Strategy see itself playing in shaping the future of industries like telecom and technology in the Middle East by 2026?
In Europe, the telecoms market is very fragmented, and there is very little, if any, growth. Even in the technology sector, there is a great lack of scale and financing.
In North America, and particularly in the United States, it’s a different picture. The telcos are big traditional players undergoing massive transformation. In addition, thanks to the abundance of funds and capital, there are big tech companies who often lead the way in this space.
In the Middle East, you have strong players operating in an extremely dynamic environment. They are visionaries with a lot of competence, talent, knowledge, a high funding capacity, and a global way of thinking.
We see the Middle East as a major technology hub of the future.
Today, there are significant infrastructure projects in the region addressing fiber and 5G, and especially data centers, particularly to support the explosion in artificial intelligence (AI) services.
As a result, we foresee that the Middle East will be very dynamic in the areas of AI, cloud, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Local players in the region are adopting all the technologies very quickly to transform themselves, and, in many cases, are transforming more rapidly than companies in more mature countries.
The public sector in the Middle East is accelerating and transforming very quickly too. To witness this transformation, one must simply go to the airports and observe the dynamic border controls.
PMP Strategy is very involved in the media, art, and cultural sectors, and we are amazed at the extent to which the public sector is incorporating technology there. We see the region as the future center of culture, art, and entertainment, with the tourism boom set to continue. We are involved in many projects where we can bring our expertise in framing, sourcing, partnering, building museums, and using technology to create more than just visits; to create real experiences.
On another topic, thanks to the IoT, some telecom champions are accumulating significant market share, diversifying and transforming many verticals and industries. This is just the beginning; it's a key growth path for telcos and a key path for transforming existing sectors.
We are involved in many MaaS (Mobility-as-a-Service) projects, where logistics are totally rethought thanks to the IoT and AI in many sectors, including complex industrial production sites thanks to PMN (private mobile network) capabilities.
The Middle East is on the cusp of a technological revolution and we are excited to be part of this transformation.
Our role is to provide the strategic foresight and operational expertise that companies need to thrive in this new era to optimize their operations and explore new business models that can drive growth and profitability. IT transformation is a key element in our approach.
As telecom companies in the Middle East look to expand their services into adjacent sectors such as cloud computing, AI, and data analytics, what role do you see PMP Strategy playing in helping them diversify and capture new revenue streams?
I'd say that, in the Middle East, particularly in telcos, we see a huge opportunity. Firstly, these are growth markets, so they can be more easily leveraged. Secondly, the region has the capacity to invest in building infrastructure that is key to sustainable growth in tomorrow’s 5G and fiber activities, both of which are critical issues for the future.
There is a strong need to develop cloud, AI, ICT, and IoT services. These new opportunities require different business models from the existing traditional ones. To be successful, they require the establishment of new organizations, the development of cross-sector partnerships, and the creation of new ecosystems.
AI for telecom operators is one of our main strengths. We draw on our Seattle office, which is innovative in this area, and our expertise across different clients around the world. For example, we believe strongly in AI and customer care. We are involved in very advanced projects, helping telecom companies set up 100% virtual call centers with AI agents that can respond by phone, chat, and email to any request with an unrivalled level of customer satisfaction. Extended or virtual agents present a huge opportunity for telecom companies (for whom customer relations are essential) and serves as a new avenue for growth and diversification. They can also set up new businesses, offering technologies and agents to their B2B customers.
Diversification is not just about entering new markets; it's about creating synergies between existing and new services to maximize value. It’s a challenge which requires deep knowledge of the telco sector, the different business models, and key success factors. We have a great deal of expertise in these new markets and help our clients identify the most promising opportunities, guide them on how to position themselves in the market, and develop strategies to capitalize on them to accelerate their growth.
For example, we helped launch one of the most dynamic fintech companies in the market today. Telcos and banking now overlap; they are no longer siloed. We have the experience to help our clients succeed in this rapidly changing landscape.
To recap, the Middle East is one of the most dynamic regions in the world for these cross-sector diversifications. It’s very exciting to transform these challenges into opportunities that help local players evolve into leaders by integrating AI and data analytics to enhance their service offerings and improve customer relationships. Our goal is to ensure that our clients can execute their diversification plans smoothly and achieve the desired outcomes.
The Middle East is experiencing rapid digital transformation, with a focus on smart cities and 5G infrastructure. How does PMP Strategy position itself to help telecom companies contribute to these large-scale initiatives?
Smart cities and 5G are two major key themes for all regions of the world, and especially for the Middle East. Europe has had a few success stories, but there are no major players who have really succeeded in this area. In the US, there have been some good experiments and successes; however, in the end, I think that we will see the most interesting use cases and successful new businesses catering to smart cities and 5G in the Middle East.
It's important to remember that, thanks to slicing, 5G can be used to develop a whole host of specific services in different industry and business verticals. The most important thing that 5G will enable is the development of private mobile networks, or PMNs, particularly for ports and other industries. This is a very important tool in the development of the region's entire economy.
PMP Strategy’s large Mobility and Transport practice has a great deal of experience in this area. Notably, in Canada, where they work closely with our Telecoms practice on similar projects, the synergistic result is state-of-the-art support on MaaS, a current critical issue. Many players want to position themselves in this key area and create new service models for the transport of tomorrow.
Smart cities require a high level of public consent on a myriad of transport, mobility, and tech issues. The strong determination to develop these areas in the Middle East, coupled with the high level of public investment and strong technological capacity, means that the prognosis for increased development in these sectors is like the boom we have seen in Asia.
Smart cities and 5G infrastructure represent a significant opportunity for telecom companies, but they also come with unique challenges.
Our approach is holistic, considering not only the technical aspects of these initiatives but also the social, economic, and environmental (SEE) factors that can impact their success. By doing so, we help our clients create solutions that are technologically advanced and both sustainable and socially responsible.
As April marks the celebration of women in ICT, what initiatives or perspectives does PMP Strategy have in place to promote gender diversity and support women in the ICT sector, particularly within the Middle East?
At PMP Strategy, we are committed to fostering an inclusive diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) environment. Remember that, on average, women are vastly under-represented in engineering. It’s a global problem. While there is progress being made in encouraging women to study science and interest them in technology, there’s a long way to go. That means that the talent pool is restricted, which is a real shame. We do quite a bit to help spark young women’s interest in tech, including outreach programs at universities, etc. It’s frustrating, because women in the field excel. In fact, many technology companies have women in very senior positions and they often lead the company.
Case in point, at PMP Strategy, our Telecoms sector is headed up by a brilliant woman, Chrystelle Briantais. She leads a practice at the cutting edge of technology, ICT, cloud, diversification, and tech. We are extremely lucky to have her, as well as a team of talented young women, working with us on these complex technology issues.
We have implemented several initiatives designed to support women at all stages of their careers, from entry-level positions to leadership roles. This includes providing mentorship and networking opportunities, offering flexible work arrangements, and ensuring equal pay and advancement opportunities. We have also created a Diversity Council and we work with our clients to promote diversity within their organizations, helping them create more inclusive cultures and practices.
We organized a program in March to celebrate International Women’s Day, featuring inspiring women leaders who shared their journeys and the challenges they faced as professionals in male-dominated fields. These sessions were open to all employees. The feedback was positive, and we are committed to continuing these initiatives, fostering discussions on gender parity, and exploring ways to create a more inclusive workplace at PMP Strategy—one that drives meaningful change today.
Promoting diversity is not just a moral imperative; it's a business imperative. Diverse teams bring different perspectives and ideas, leading to more innovative solutions and better decision-making. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone can succeed.
What specific trends and demands in the Middle East market do you see driving PMP Strategy's strategic direction in the coming years?
The Middle East is a region where we see great demand. The demands have evolved from a desire to understand the challenges, benchmarking, and recommendations to an accelerated demand for support in executing the implementation and/or acceleration of new strategies, organizations, and business models.
There is a growing demand from companies for a true business partner to accompany and advise them, who can work in a very operational way with people in the field, can commit to results, and has the expertise and ability to help and challenge senior management and shareholders effectively. Twenty years ago, PMP Strategy made the choice to integrate expert teams in finance, strategy, and technology to ensure strong knowledge of best practices worldwide, so that we could partner with our clients locally and leverage our global vision.
Our multi-specialist model is applicable to all sectors we focus on, from telecoms to media, culture, technology, transport, financial services, and energy. Across the region, these sectors are represented by a team of over 50 experts, accompanied by senior advisors who provide very specific in-depth expertise, and are fully equipped to support clients in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). They help them maneuver the greatest opportunities. For example, the financial services revolution, the explosion in renewable energies, and the growing transportation business models.
We integrate best practices from around the world into strategies tailored for the specific needs and opportunities of the Middle East region.
In conclusion, while facing all these opportunities, transformations, and technological challenges, we need to remain open-minded. There is a great deal that needs to be co-constructed in order to maximize growth across the different industries present in this dynamic region.
PMP Strategy’s capacity to go beyond advising and become a business partner capable of working hand-in-hand with clients, creating ecosystems of experts to accelerate their growth, is the position we foresee for ourselves in across the region.
The GCC is one of our most dynamic offices, where we’re investing heavily, recruiting the best and brightest, and bringing our strong consolidated expertise from Europe and the United States.
We look forward to playing our part in the transformation of this region.
