CIO East Africa - Business Technology Leadership

Nokia CEO, Stephen Elop was recently in Kenya, on a two country stop in Africa. In the country, Elop met journalists and developers at the iHub. Pertinent questions were what many see as Nokia's degradation of the Nairobi office and the firms strategy to adopt Windows Mobile and shun Android, even as it faces a huge on-slaught from low cost Android handsets in it's mid-end and high-end segment. Elop explained the various decisions as part of a key strategy to retain is market dominance.

Qualcomm technology is not just about chipsets. Neither is it just about manufacturing faster and faster processors for computers and smartphones but integrating device components to lower consumer cost on devices. The company opened up its 186th office in Nairobi, Kenya to bring technology to consumers and the entire mobile value chain.

Qualcomm’s new offices which are located in Purshottam Place, Chiromo Road, Westlands, Nairobi, will serve as the hub for Qualcomm’s business operations in the East and Central Africa region and will support a variety of Qualcomm partners that are driving the region’s fast growing mobile market, including operators, device manufacturers, network operators, retailers, distributors and mobile application developers.

Commenting on the news, Mr Billy Owino, Qualcomm’s Director of Business Development in East Africa, said: “East Africa is continuing its rapid transition to 3G mobile broadband and consumers are reaping the benefits of enhanced services, competition and choice. In Kenya and across the region, businesses and consumers are turning to their mobiles for a wider range of activities, such as downloading music and video, social networking, finance and more.”

“Bringing these services and advanced new mobile devices to market requires the cooperation of an entire ecosystem of partners. Qualcomm’s new Nairobi office allows us to maintain close proximity to the people, governments and important industry events that are driving the regional telecommunications industry forward and contributing to East Africa’s economic development,” Owino continued.

Africa is the fastest-growing mobile market in the world, and is the second largest after Asia. The number of subscribers on the Continent has grown almost 20% each year for the past five years. In Kenya, industry analyst firm Pyramid Research projects that revenue from mobile data services will account for almost half of all telecommunications revenue by 2016 as more Kenyans embrace mobile money and mobile Internet. The firm believes that mobile data revenue will increase from an estimated US$ 457 million in 2011 to US$ 751 million in 2016 – almost a 44 percent share of total telecom revenue.

Qualcomm in brief
Qualcomm has three primary business segments, dedicated to accelerating the growth and progress of the global mobile industry.

QTL broadly licenses portfolio.
Reaches out to third parties all around the world to promote the design, manufacture and sales of products based on our industry-leading wireless technology.
The entire wireless industry grows stronger as our licensees’ efforts encourage more users to join in the wireless revolution.

QCT supplier of wireless chipset technology.
Commercializes our R&D innovation through highly-integrated chipsets.
Provides chipsets to more than 50 customers.
Partners with nearly 60 3G network operators around the globe.
Through its chipset technologies and solutions, broad platform approach and customer centered support infrastructure, QCT continues to advance the wireless experience for people around the world.

QWI redefining the wireless experience.
Develops mobile data services to help drive uptake of 3G.
Helps to make the mobile Internet more accessible and useful.
Transforming traditional business models.
Facilitating the transition from mobile voice & data to mobile content & experiences.