Rafik Haddad appointed as chairman of mobile operator Alfa's board

The ordinary general assembly of mobile operator Alfa convened on Tuesday in the presence of Telecommunications Minister Charles Hage and elected the members of its board of directors for a one-year term. The board then elected Rafik Haddad as chairman and CEO for a one-year mandate.

Haddad, who was previously a member of Alfa's board of directors, succeeds Jad Nassif, who was appointed in June 2020 by former Telecommunications Minister Talal Hawat and had remained in office since then.

The maximum term for leading one of the country's mobile operators may not exceed three years, according to internal regulations. However, former Telecommunications Minister Johnny Corm, who succeeded Talal Hawat, extended the mandates of the boards of both operators — Alfa and Touch — for one year in February 2023.

Present at the assembly, current Minister Charles Hage congratulated the new board members and commended Haddad, stating: "We invite you to lead the company with integrity and professionalism."

The minister reiterated that "network modernization is our top priority." "Alfa must become an essential and reliable provider of high-speed internet. Fixed Wireless Access services will be the cornerstone of our plan for the next three years," he emphasized, noting that Alfa and Touch should represent more than 30 percent of high-speed internet users, alongside fiber optics and satellite services.

Hage added that the roadmap for the coming months includes "launching a call for tenders to modernize the Radio Access Network [RAN], developing new digital services in fintech and IT, as well as introducing innovations to enhance subscriber experience and increase revenue."

He also stressed the need for subscribers to "see improvements before the end of the year, both in terms of coverage and quality of service and digital experience," and encouraged the new board to "launch generous offers for students to support online education and research."