Ericsson today announced the appointment of Arun Bansal as the new country manager for the company's Bangladesh operations, effective immediately. Bansal succeeds Rafiah Ibrahim, who will return to Malaysia to take on a new role as Head of Strategy for Ericsson South East Asia and Ericsson Malaysia's Deputy Country Manager.
Bansal brings with him 16 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, working in Ericsson’s offices in various management roles in Sweden, United States, India and Malaysia. Prior to this announcement, Bansal was Vice President and Key Account Executive for the Maxis Group, based in Malaysia, a position which he held for two years. During this time, Ericsson strengthened it’s position with Maxis, from being a key supplier to its 2G network, to becoming the main supplier for its its 3G/WCDMA network. Ericsson was also appointed to manage and operate Maxis’ entire 3G network under a Managed Services contract that included the management of non-Ericsson equipment as well.
Announcing Bansal’s appointment at a press conference in Dhaka today, the President of Ericsson South East Asia, Jan Signell, says that Rafiah has left a strong legacy in Bangladesh, not only in enhancing Ericsson’s position as a strong and reliable partner to the operators here, but also in ensuring that Ericsson is a trusted partner and employer of choice in the country.
“I am confident that Bansal, with his experience and strong track record, will continue to build on the strong foundation laid by his predecessor and strengthen this position further to grow Ericsson’s presence in Bangladesh,” he says, adding that this appointment also reiterates the importance of Bangladesh as one of the fastest growing markets for Ericsson in the region.
“Bangladesh is one of the countries in the region that has been experiencing high mobile growth during the past few years. We believe this trend will continue, and we aim to further strengthen our support to meet the needs of our customers here.
There are around two billion subscribers in the world today, and we foresee that 80% of the next billion growth will come from high-growth markets, including Bangladesh,” Signell adds.
According to recent figures, the number of mobile subscribers in Bangladesh is expected to reach around 21 million by December 2007 with a penetration rate of 14%. At present, there are about 9 million mobile subscribers with 6% penetration in the country.
Bansal reiterated Ericsson’s commitment to support telecommunications operators in the country, especially in increasing their market share and revenue streams, as well as in network expansion and enhancements to reach new subscribers.
“I am pleased and honoured to be given this opportunity with Ericsson Bangladesh and to be part of this exciting growth phase. With Ericsson’s leadership in technology and network solutions, as well as in new and innovative business models, I believe we are in a strong position to support our customers in meeting their challenges and needs.
Confident of the potential growth opportunities for Ericsson in Bangladesh, Bansal says that he is committed to help operators optimise the use of available technologies to make communications for all a real possibility for everyone in Bangladesh. “We are aware of the need for low Total Cost of Ownership as operators extend their coverage to rural areas, and we will continue to focus on solutions that will address that need,” he adds.
Bansal holds a Degree in Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering from MITS, India. Prior to joining Ericsson in 1989, he was working with a Japanese-Indian joint-venture company, also involved in telecommunications, for six years.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Azlyn Abd Rahman, Media Relations, Ericsson South East Asia
Phone: +60 8314 6066 or +6016 336 3327
ABOUT ERICSSON BANGLADESH:
Ericsson AB, Bangladesh started its operation in the country in 1997. With a staff strength of 160, it is presently the country’s largest end-to-end telecommunications solutions provider with complete in-country expertise and support team. Being part of Ericsson’s Market Unit South East Asia, it has access to a diversified group of technical, solutions and services experts from around the region.
