Light Reading Launches Africa/Middle East Research Service
Light Reading the market-leading online community for the global communications sector, has launched its first-ever region-specific research service, focusing on the telecom industry's two fastest-growing and most promising markets: Africa and the Middle East. The initiative is led by Heavy Reading, Light Reading's independent research group, and Xalam Analytics, a new research venture headed by Guy Zibi, a leading authority on telecom markets in Africa and the Middle East.
The new research service will combine Heavy Reading's expertise in telecom technology and services with Xalam Analytics' deep knowledge of the business, technology and political issues that will shape the telecom landscape in Africa and the Middle East. The new service will focus on helping Heavy Reading's clients identify, pursue, and execute business initiatives in AME markets.
"AME is a rich mix of opportunities and challenges for telecom network providers and technology suppliers," says Dennis Mendyk, vice president of research at Heavy Reading. "We're excited to help our clients forge successful strategies in AME, and we've found the ideal partner in Guy Zibi and Xalam Analytics."
Zibi, managing director of Xalam Analytics, has a two-decade-long experience tracking and analyzing telecom market trends in AME. He cofounded AfricaNext Research, where he led research and managed projects around carrier financial due diligence, wholesale capacity markets, and new carrier models.
"AME markets are in the midst of deep transformational change, as business models evolve to capture the widely acknowledged upside of the market while adjusting to the challenges brought about by changes in technology, user demand, and relentless competition," says Zibi.
Xalam Analytics (which takes its name from "xalam," a West African traditional musical instrument, and "salaam," the Arabic word for "peace") offers in-depth, value-driven research and insights on the AME enterprise market in an age of mobility and cloud, with research spanning from informal enterprises to multinational corporations.
Light Reading plans to develop a full range of online and media programs focused specifically on AME markets, including live events, webinars and other educational programs, and expanded news coverage. "AME is an important opportunity for all of Light Reading, and we expect to play a leading role in providing the telecom industry with the knowledge and insight it will need to succeed in these critical regions," Mendyk says.