LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The GSMA today announced the first keynote speakers for the Mobile 360 Series-Africa conference, including executives from organisations such as the Alliance for Affordable Internet, Econet Zimbabwe, Facebook, inVenture, Lumos, MTN Group, Opera Software, Safaricom, Samsung and Standard Bank. Mobile 360-Africa will take place 5-7 November at the Clock Tower Conference Centre in Cape Town and will comprise keynote addresses and panel sessions to prompt audience interaction and discussion. In addition to the main conference, Mobile 360-Africa will incorporate additional programmes that highlight the initiatives and activities undertaken by the GSMA Mobile for Development organisation, as well workshops focusing on key policy and regulatory issues for the region.

“Mobile connectivity is already playing a key role in inclusion of the underserved in many African countries and Mobile 360-Africa will convene key stakeholders to examine the practical steps which can be taken to help overcome critical roadblocks in technology, governance, business models and investment,” said Michael O’Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. “Sub-Saharan Africa’s unique mobile subscriber base has grown by 18 per cent annually over the last five years, making it the fastest growing region globally, and we are looking forward to celebrating this dynamic and diverse market through a great agenda supported by C-level speakers from across this exciting region.”

At Mobile 360-Africa, CEOs and senior executives from leading mobile companies and from throughout the digital ecosystem, will address the most pressing trends and issues in mobile through a series of visionary keynote presentations, thought-provoking interviews and interactive panel sessions. They will examine how the continued adoption of mobile technologies and services will propel the further growth of the African economy and deliver the full benefits of digital and financial inclusion to citizens. The keynotes and sessions will delve into subjects such as “Broadening Digital and Financial Inclusion”, “Delivering Affordable Access to the People of Africa”, “Enabling a Digital Economy” and “Empowering the Digital Citizen”.

Speakers confirmed to present at Mobile 360-Africa include:

• Ciaran Bradley, Senior Vice President Solutions and Innovation, Adaptive Mobile
• Dr. Sonia Jorge, Executive Director, Alliance for Affordable Internet
• Christine Ampaire, Chief Executive Officer, CodeSync and Co-Founder, Girl Geek
• Douglas Mboweni, Chief Executive Officer, Econet Zimbabwe
• Nicola D'Elia, Head of Growth - Africa, Facebook
• Anne Bouverot, Director General, GSMA
• Dr. Assaad Jabre, Mobile for Development Ambassador and former CEO, IFC
• Shivani Siroya, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, inVenture
• Dr. Fred Okeng’o Matiang’i, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology, Kenya
• Davidi Vortman, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Lumos
• Gerard Brandjes, Vice President, South and East Africa, Microsoft Mobile Devices
• Sifiso Dabengwa, Group Chief Executive Officer, MTN Group
• Peter Panait Løjmand, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, Opera Software
• Steve Vosloo, Head of Mobile, Pearson South Africa
• Nzioka Waita, Corporate Affairs Director, Safaricom
• George Ferreira, Vice President and Chief Operation Officer, Samsung Electronics Africa
• Nina Triantis, Head of TMT, Standard Bank
• Ryan Sher, Chief Operations Officer, WIOCC

The full conference agenda is available at www.mobile360series.com/africa/#agenda.

Mobile 360-Africa Registration Now Open

Registration for Mobile 360-Africa is now open; individuals wishing to attend should visit www.mobile360series.com/africa/#registration.

Mobile 360 Series

The GSMA’s Mobile 360 Series-Africa is the third in a series of four regional industry-focused events held in major cities across the world. For information on the Mobile 360 Series, including sponsorship opportunities at the African event in Cape Town specifically, please visit www.mobile360series.com/africa.

Follow developments and updates on Mobile 360-Africa (#mobile360) on Twitter @GSMA and on Facebook www.facebook.com/Mobile360Series.

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. Spanning more than 220 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world’s mobile operators with 250 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and Internet companies, as well as organisations in industry sectors such as financial services, healthcare, media, transport and utilities. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Expo.

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.

Contacts

For the GSMA
Charlie Meredith-Hardy, +44 7917 298428
CMeredith-Hardy@webershandwick.com
or
Jill Hamilton, +27 826 588 831
jhamilton@webershandwick.com
or
GSMA Press Office
pressoffice@gsma.com