Lagos. November 11, 2008. CEO Zain Group, Saad Al-Barrack has said that the mobile cellular operator has so far invested $12 billion into Africa including the $3.36billion purchase of Celtel International in 2005.

He said the company currently operates in 16 countries employing over 10,000 people, and recently rebranded all its operations from Celtel to Zain on August 1, 2008.

Al-Barrack also said Zain’s international award winning ‘One Network’ service, offered borderless mobile communications free of roaming charges which was launched in Africa in September 2006 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and in November 2007, the network had been extended to include 12 countries on the continent.

He added that ‘One Network’ has linked two continents after four Middle East countries joined the service which promotes cross-border trade and drives economic growth across the region and beyond and allows customers to stay in touch at affordable price.

As an influential telecoms executive, Al-Barrak, has been honoured by three media organisations with the Africa Investor International Business Leader Award, CEO Middle East Magazine’s Telecom CEO of the year award and Bespoke Magazine’s 2008 award.

Al-Barrack who scooped up the three awards in October beat off challenges from Kingdom Holding’s Prince Alwaleed Bin Tala; Coca Cola’s Chairman, Neville Isedell; China Exim Bank’s President, Li Ruogu; Shun Tak Shipping Founder Stanley Ho and General Electric’s Chairman, Jeff Immelt in winning the Africa Investor international business leader award in a ceremony held recently in Duban, South Africa.

“I am honoured and humbled by this recognition. I love this beautiful continent and its people and I assure them that Zain’s commitment to Africa will continue infinitely. It is extremely important for Zain that our economic, social and cultural projects in Africa have a positive impact on the people we serve”, said Al-Barrak on receiving his first African-based award.

Chief Executive Officer Middle East magazine recognised Al-Barrack for his achievements in the telecom region sector, where he has become an industrial leader in regional area of telecommunications and his brave decision in September 2007 to rebrand from MTC to Zain brand with a marketing campaign that won the admiration of both the adverting and telecom sectors.

Similarly, Bespoke magazine’s 2008 vision said since his appointment as CEO in June 2002, Dr. Al-Barrack had taken Zain from a $2.5 billion Kuwait operation with 600,00 customers, to a $25 billion market capitalised company operating in 22 countries with over 56 million customers.