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

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

Orascom Telecom has had no official tax claim from Algeria
By Shereen El Gazzar, contributing to Dow Jones Newswires

Algerian press reported local telco could receive bill for over $250 million.
Orascom Telecom Holding said Tuesday it hasn’t received any official requests from the Algerian government to pay a $250 million tax claim for 2008 and 2009.

“Orascom Telecom Algeria didn’t receive any official demands from the Algerian authorities regarding this matter,” Orascom Telecom said in a statement on the stock market’s website. (more…)

Algeria · Orascom Telecom

France Telecom and Orascom Telcom Holdings have ended their legal dispute over Egyptian operator, Mobinil.
Both parties, who jointly share control of Mobinil, have agreed to pursue a new shareholder agreement that would end the two year long dispute, according to BusinessWeek.com.

Orascom Telecom

By Abdel Latif Wahba and Mahmoud Kassem

April 15 (Bloomberg) — France Telecom SA and Orascom Telecom Holding SAE agreed to end a 2 1/2-year-old legal dispute about their ownership of the Egyptian Co. for Mobile Services.

The two companies, which jointly control the telecoms operator better known as Mobinil, will implement a new shareholder agreement without changing the company’s ownership structure, they said in a statement. “We have agreed to end the legal dispute,” Hani Serie-el Din, Orascom’s lawyer, said in Cairo after a meeting between the two companies yesterday. (more…)

Orascom Telecom

Sawiris By Ingrandirla

Orascom Telecom

The secret to Khaled Bichara’s success is Khaled Bichara himself.

A graduate of the American University in Cairo with a major in Computer science and a minor in business administration, Khaled Bichara’s influence in matters involving telecommunication and information technology can easily be seen. (more…)

AUC · Orascom Telecom