Hatem Dowidar serves as the Group CEO of e&, a global technology and investment conglomerate operating across 16 markets. Since joining the company in 2015, initially as Group COO and later as CEO for International Operations, Dowidar has been the driving force behind transformative strategic programs that have catapulted e& to new business heights. Notably, under his leadership, the company's brand portfolio has become one of the most valuable in its region, and it now ranks as the most valuable publicly traded company in the GCC according to Forbes. Dowidar's strategic acumen has also earned him significant recognition; he skyrocketed from 79th to 22nd place in the Global Brand Guardians Index, becoming the first CEO from the Middle East and Africa to top the Telecoms Ranking in the index. His visionary partnerships with global industry leaders like Microsoft and Meta have set the course for the digital empowerment of societies. Prior to e&, Dowidar accrued substantial experience in the telecom sector, including roles as CEO of Vodafone Egypt and Group Chief of Staff for Vodafone Group in London. His career spans 32 years in multinational companies, 25 of which are in telecom, where he has held a variety of leadership positions, including Chairman and CEO of Vodafone Malta, and CEO of Partner Markets covering over 45 markets. In addition to his corporate roles, Dowidar serves on several boards including Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily), Maroc Telecom, and Etisalat Misr. He also contributes to global industry dialogues as a member of GSMA, United Nations, and the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) leadership panel, where he is the only Arab member from the MENA region. Dowidar holds a Bachelor's Degree in Communications and Electronics Engineering from Cairo University and an MBA from the American University in Cairo. His career began at AEG/Deutsche Aerospace and later included managerial roles at Procter & Gamble.