23 March 2017

Muscat, Oman: Championing the development of small businesses in Oman, Ooredoo has sponsored three SMEs as part of its recently launched Entrepreneur programme. The programme assists selected SMEs with funding and training during their start-up phase with a view to welcoming them as Ooredoo preferred B2B sales partners, once they successfully complete the requirements. Further companies from across the Sultanate will join the programme by the end of the year.

This is in addition to the three companies sponsored by Al Raffd Fund and follows the signing of an MoU to provide support for local SMEs registered with Al Raffd. Under the MoU, Ooredoo will not only sponsor local start-ups, but award a number of service contracts to the fund’s beneficiaries and provide sponsorships to a wide variety of SME-specific events as well as training opportunities for employees.

Expressing Ooredoo’s commitment to supporting new businesses as they unlock their potential and grow, Said Al Mawali, Department Head for SME & SOHO Propositions said: “What is particularly exciting about the Entrepreneur programme is that as well as helping Omani start-ups get off the ground, it introduces them to the skills needed to become an Ooredoo B2B preferred sales partner. This sets them on the road to success and benefits Ooredoo too by ensuring it has the trusted and well-trained nationwide network of partners it needs to expand its sales channels. We look forward to working with these ambitious new businesses as they realise their commercial potential.”

He added: “Ooredoo’s vision is to support human growth and we are proud to contribute to Oman’s dynamic business community, inspiring their activities, supporting new opportunities, and providing the innovative digital products and services to help them prosper.”

To find out more about the Entrepreneur programme, please contact the Ooredoo Business team.                       

About Ooredoo
Omani Qatari Telecommunications Company SAOG (“Ooredoo”) was founded and registered in the Sultanate of Oman in December 2004. It launched its service in March 2005 as the challenger mobile operator in Oman, originally operating under the name Nawras. The Company was awarded the second fixed licence in Oman in 2009, and launched its international gateway in April 2010, its corporate fixed and broadband services in May 2010, and its residential fixed and broadband services in June 2010. Since 2010, Ooredoo has been an integrated services telecommunications operator and is currently serving over 2 million customers across the Sultanate. Following a successful IPO on 1 November 2010, Ooredoo is listed on the Muscat Stock Market (MSM) under the “ORDS” ticker. Ooredoo is majority owned by Ooredoo Q.S.C. and also has a number of significant Omani shareholders which ensures that the company is strongly integrated into the Omani society. Ooredoo has won a number of awards including Jury’s Distinction Award for Customer Service Excellence in the telecom sector 2013, Leading Telecommunications Company at the Arab Achievement Awards 2013, Best Operator Network at the Telecoms World Middle East 2013 Awards, a number of awards for their outstanding campaigns at the Dubai Lynx Awards in February 2014 and the CommsMEA award for Middle East Mobile Operator of the Year 2015.

Twitter: @OoredooOman 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/OoredooOman 

Instagram: @OoredooOman

YouTube: www.youtube.com/OoredooOman

Snapchat: Ooredoo_Oman

About Ooredoo Group
Ooredoo is an international communications company operating across the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia.  Serving consumers and businesses in 10 countries, Ooredoo delivers the leading data experience through a broad range of content and services via its advanced, data-centric mobile and fixed networks.

Ooredoo served 138 million customers and generated revenues of USD 8.9 billion as of 31 December 2016. Its shares are listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange and the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.

Twitter: @Ooredoo                                             

Facebook: facebook.com/ooredoogroup

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/ooredoo

YouTube: www.youtube.com/ooredoogroup

© Press Release 2017