Cairo, November 14th, 2011: Orascom Telecom Holding S.A.E (OTH) (“Company”) announced today that Khaled Bichara, Executive Chairman,  has submitted his resignation from his position as Executive Chairman and Board of Directors Member by the end of December 2011. Until this date, he will continue to assume all responsibilities of his current position.  In due course, the  board will elect the new Chairman of the Board.  The Board of OTH would like to extend their gratitude to Khaled Bichara for the tremendous efforts he has exerted over the years as an Executive Member and then Executive Chairman of the Board, and the pivotal role he played in the transformation of OTH into a leading global telecommunications company.   Ahmed Abou Doma, CEO of Orascom Telecom Holding, said: “I would like to thank Khaled for his hard work, which paved the way for a smooth integration with  VimpelCom and which will serve as a foundation to allow the company to operationally excel in the future”.

Source: Orascomtelecom.com

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Orascom Telecom hopes to complete the spin-off of businesses not included in the takeover by Vimpelcom by year-end, executive chairman Khaled Bichara told Reuters. A stake in Egyptian mobile operator Mobinil and Orascom’s North Korean operations are being spun off into a new firm, Orascom Telecom Media and Technology, under the control of Orascom’s founder Naguib Sawiris. Orascom shareholders approved the spin-off in April but Egyptian regulators then asked for changes to the balance sheet split that will serve as a basis for the demerger. The revised plan will be put to shareholders on 23 October. Some Orascom minorities have mounted a legal challenge to the plan by suing Egypt’s financial watchdog, but Bichara played down the threat. He told Reuters that the challengers hold only a tiny amount of the shares. Previous shareholder votes on the Vimpelcom deal have passed with majorities of 93 (more…)

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A senior Orascom manager has stated that Egypt’s Orascom Telecom and Italy’s Wind continue to work on a merger with Russia’s VimpelCom despite negotiation over the telecom deal.

Norway’s Telenor, which owns nearly 40% of VimpelCom, had requested arbitration at the end of January over the Russian group’s planned $6 billion deal to take control of Wind and Orascom from Egyptian tycoon Naguib Sawiris.

According to Orascom CEO, Khaled Bichara, they continue to work with the same commitment and concentration on the merger with VimpelCom, which they are optimistic about.

According to company websites, Bichara is a director of Wind and a former chief operating officer, as well as chief executive of Orascom Telecom.

Bichara added that naturally, if the arbitration finds something that is not correct they will get involved with the decision taken. The deal will not lead to mergers at the operational level, with each country’s operation remaining independent. The benefits of the merger will be the synergies: $2.5 billion savings. Orascom/Wind is not worried if Telenor gets sufficient VimpelCom shareholder to block the deal. Even if the deal is not completed, the group can go forward without any problems, noting how Wind has restructured its debt and does not have maturities in the immediate future.

Orascom Telecom

• Firm’s chairman sent a letter to Algerian Prime Minister
• Orascom considers MTN offer basis for talks over Djezzy
• Pakistan flooding has not hurt operator’s network

By Alexander Dziadosz

CAIRO, Aug 16 (Reuters) – Egypt’s Orascom Telecom (ORTE.CA: Quote) may hear from Algeria’s government within a week or two about starting talks to buy the mobile firm’s lucrative Djezzy unit, but not before, an executive said in remarks published on Monday.

Algeria is the top revenue earner of Orascom’s far-flung units and selling it or solving its regulatory problems, which worsened after clashes between Egypt and Algeria soccer fans last year, is seen as vital to the firm’s future cash flows. (more…)

Djezzy · Orascom Telecom

The Egyptian Company for Mobile Services (Mobinil) has announced its acquisition of LINKdotNET, the leading private-sector Egyptian internet service provider, from InTouch Communications S.A.E., a subsidiary of Orascom Telecom Holding (OTH), in a landmark deal which will improve customers’ access to a wide array of integrated communications services, will create high value for shareholders, and will benefit Egypt’s telecom sector and the country’s overall economy. (more…)

LINKdotNET

Orascom Telecom Holding (OTH) has concluded the previously announced sale of its internet services arm LINKdotNET and Link Egypt (“LINK”) to the mobile network operator, Mobinil. The sale excludes the non-ISP part of Link Egypt’s business and affects LINKdotNET’s Egyptian operations only. The other non-connectivity business, LINK Development, LINKonLINE, Connect Ads, Arab Finance Brokerage Company and Arpu+ will remain owned by OTH.

The deal is a cash transaction based on an enterprise value of US$130 million. The business represents 56% and 90% of the revenue and EBITDA of OTH Internet Services respectively.

The sale is expected to allow Mobinil to extend broadband and corporate communications services to its more than 26 million customers.

Khaled Bichara, Group Chief Executive Officer of OTH, said: “We are delighted to have concluded this deal. As per the trend in the global telecom industry, the convergence between ISP’s and operators clearly enhances the value for both businesses and enriches the value offering to their consumers.”

Source: Cellular-news.com

LINKdotNET

BEIRUT: Group CEO of Orascom Telecom Holding (OTH) Khaled Bichara said Monday his firm is willing to play an important role in contributing to the economic growth in Lebanon.

“Orascom Telecom is continuously seeking new avenues for growth. In that perspective, Lebanon represents significant opportunities since it is at the stage of rapid development and has major growth potential,” he said. (more…)

Lebanon · Orascom Telecom

In line with Orascom Telecom continuous support for Alfa, the first mobile operator in Lebanon, Mr. Khaled Bichara, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Orascom Telecom Holding S.A.E. visited Beirut on Monday 31st of May along with senior Executives from OTH. The purpose of Mr. Bichara’s visit included keeping abreast with changes in the current Lebanese telco environment, exploring avenues for growth, and reviewing the progress of Alfa, managed by Orascom Telecom since February 2009, as well as the upcoming plans Orascom Telecom has for the Lebanese market. (more…)

Orascom Telecom

Demonstrating its leadership strategy and as a major player in the global telecommunications market, Orascom Telecom Holding (OTH), together with Alfa, the first Lebanese mobile operator managed by Orascom Telecom since February 2009, announced their strategic partnerships with Arabcom 2010 Summit. Under the patronage and in the presence of H.E. Minister of Telecom, Dr. Charbel Nahas, ARABCOM 2010 will be held this year under the title “Broadband Convergence for a Sustainable Future Vision 2020”, on the 13th &14th of May 2010 at the Habtoor Grand Hotel, Beirut. (more…)

Orascom Telecom

LAHORE: Mobilink, Pakistan’s market leader in cellular services and part of Orascom Telecom Holding (OTH), has posted strong revenues, higher EBITDA and increasing subscriber base in the first quarter of 2010 as compared to the same period last year.

According to the results published by OTH Mobilink subscriber base increased by 11.8%, closing at 31.6 million at the end of Q1 2010. (more…)

Mobilink · Pakistan