Emircom inspires
Transformation

Mohamad Abou-Zaki, popularly known as MAZ, is a visionary leader who oversees the multi-market business interests of Emircom and guides the organization as a customer and technology champion in the GCC region.

MAZ is revered for his calm, composed demeanor and his distinct ability to take informed, well-balanced decisions under pressure. He has always given importance to stable, organic growth that fortifies the pillars and value system of the company. It is this inherent quality in him that helped Emircom tackle adverse market situations effortlessly and build its irrefutable leadership profile in the region and infallible reputation among clients.

Hailing from an engineering background, MAZ has perfected his exceptional sales skills through his hands-on approach to all aspects of business operations, right from the days of joining Emircom almost 25 years ago, rising through the ranks through sheer hard work, consistent performance and his focus on delivering outstanding results.

MAZ is a compassionate leader that has mastered the art of linking aspirations with practicability, driven by the strong conviction that greatness is innate in people, and the success of leadership lies in its ability to inspire people to express their individual strengths. He has a strong track record of building skilled, efficient teams empowered by the ability to get the best out of people with whom he works, irrespective of their job function or background.

Born in Lebanon in 1970, MAZ graduated in Electronics Engineering from the University of Reading, UK. MAZ has co-authored a number of business books. He lives in Abu Dhabi with his wife Nisreen and children Ceasar, Sabeen and Ayaan.

Ajay heads operations at Emircom, overseeing the over-achievement of corporate objectives and business excellence.

Under his astute leadership, deep operational experience, and with the domain knowledge that he possesses, Emircom has consolidated its position as a market leader in ICT, with internal controls and financial discipline as its bedrock for operational success.

Ajay’s professional success is underpinned by his ability to be a strong team player, an astute tactician and one who can roll up the sleeves and get hands-on into a job. On the personal front, Ajay is a management thinker, art curator, TEDx speaker, and author, who is passionate about business, films, art and culture.

Ajay has garnered widespread recognition and accolades for his visionary contributions. His achievements have been prominently featured in numerous leading news and media articles. He was honored as the Global Asian of the Year by Asia one 2021-22, a testament to his exceptional leadership. Furthermore, in the author category, Ajay’s remarkable accomplishments were acknowledged with the title of “World’s Best Emerging Business Leader 2022”. Ajay has also been recognized as one of the “Most influential authors to watch out for in 2023” by EnterpriseWorld Magazine.

Ajay focuses on building assets and revenue channels, consolidating operations across markets, and strengthening financial prudence to advance Emircom’s market interests and leadership position. His past experience with internal controls at Emircom, and as an advisor to senior management with regard to strategic areas of operation, helps him in his endeavors.

Ajay holds a doctorate in Management. He is a qualified Cost Accountant and has also been conferred a Fellowship from ICMA.

Ajay lives in Abu Dhabi with his wife Rakhi Menon and two daughters, Aparna and Jahnavi.

As CFO, Yusaf effectively stewards the financial function and leads a talented team of finance professionals who drive the growth and expansion of Emircom. Armed with a strong technical background and an in-depth knowledge of the ICT sector, Yusaf brings proficiency and experience to the role.

Yusuf spearheads numerous transformative initiatives that advance Emircom’s rapidly expanding portfolio of services and market activities. Since joining Emircom in 2006, he has been instrumental in influencing the company’s trajectory, with his keen attention to detail, practical business sense and strong financial wisdom, which has helped him make sound business and investment decisions, ensuring financial resilience.
With his dynamic personality, high ethical standards, approachable demeanor and a strong internal compass of financial integrity, Yusuf has built a professional reputation par excellence.

Beyond finance, Yusaf’s influence permeates technology, corporate strategy, operations, and banking sectors. He is passionate about fostering and developing capable teams throughout the organization, enabling them to spearhead the next stage of transformation and elevate the business on a larger scale.

Prior to joining Emircom, Yusaf held a key role at GAC in the UAE, focusing on Management Accounting. He is a Fellow member of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (ACCA) in the UK and a member of the United Arab Emirates Chartered Accountant (UAECA) association. Yusaf is also an MBA graduate from the SIBER School of Management in India, specializing in Finance and Marketing.

Ghassan Khoury is a business leader who is widely recognized for his ability to wear multiple hats effortlessly. His deep passion for history has equipped him with a profound understanding of various geographies, cultures, people and business domains. His ability to connect and build strong relationships with clients, colleagues derives from this bedrock of knowledge which he can apply effectively to real-life business and professional situations, and his outstanding to bring critical perspective to complex challenges and problems.

His extensive knowledge of the UAE market, industries and sectors at a micro and macro level helps him easily identify and comprehend the underlying opportunities of client businesses and offer informed solutions to complex problems. Emircom’s reputation as an ever-dependable IT solutions partner has gained a lot from its leadership team which includes Ghassan.

His role at Emircom is underlined by several successful project accomplishments, the result of which speak for itself, achieved under challenging, competitive, and volatile market situations and many-a-time under pressure. Ghassan’s strong appetite for results and ability to forecast evolving opportunities, ambitious nature and penchant for disruptive results over organic growth, has helped Emircom expand its growth across markets, widen the revenue base and achieve outstanding business results.

Ghassan is graduate in computer and communication from Saint Joseph University Engineering School inLebanon. Having started his career as a Network Design specialist, he has since worked in France and the GCC region. Outside of his professional engagements, Ghassan is the published author of several business books. He lives in Abu Dhabi with his wife Layal, daughter Sophia and son Alex.

Lerrick D’lima spearheads Emircom’s business interests and operational priorities as General Manager for the Dubai region. Throughout his tenure, Lerrick has carved a distinctive path for himself, exemplifying charismatic leadership and demonstrating a profound understanding of people. With a clear and compelling vision, he effortlessly inspires teams to achieve remarkable results and attain success.

Lerrick’s exceptional ability to establish strong connections with individuals, both in professional and personal settings, enables him to foster highly collaborative teams and cultivate positive work environments. Moreover, his astute decision-making skills are both timely and effective, driven by a meticulous process of gathering relevant information, evaluating options, and selecting the optimal course of action.

With over 23 years of experience at Emircom, Lerrick has seamlessly transitioned through various roles, starting as a pre-sales executive in Abu Dhabi and ascending to the position of divisional manager in systems and security. Upon relocating to Dubai in 2003, he played a pivotal role in the successful reopening of the company’s Dubai Branch, subsequently assuming the role of operations manager.

Prior to his current position as General Manager of Dubai Operations, Lerrick excelled as the regional services manager. His unwavering dedication, perseverance, and pursuit of goal attainment have consistently underpinned his resounding success in each of these roles.

Beyond his professional endeavours, Lerrick possesses a profound love for knowledge, regularly immersing himself in management and motivational literature. He has a notable affinity for animals and wildlife, alongside a penchant for real-life biopics, mystery movies, and documentaries. Among his favorite literary works is “The Ride of a Lifetime” by Robert Allen Iger, the esteemed CEO of The Walt Disney Company. Notably, Lerrick is a compassionate individual actively engaged in supporting causes related to deserving children in education and animal welfare.

Lerrick attributes his achievements to the unwavering support provided by Emircom’s management and the visionary leadership they exemplify. He firmly believes that personal fulfillment and success are intrinsically tied, radiating value to customers, colleagues, management, and family. A resident of Dubai, Lerrick resides with his wife Patricia, his daughter Schenelle, his son Joshua, and his two beloved pet dogs, Tobler and Boggy.

Mohammad Shakeer leads Emircom’s operations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a highly accomplished professional with a remarkable career spanning over two decades in the networking and technology field.

His journey began in 2000 as a freelance trainer, where he quickly gained recognition by providing valuable training to numerous businesses across diverse industries. Notably, Shakeer’s expertise extended to training senior professionals, showcasing his ability to connect with individuals at all levels.

Joining Emircom in 2005, Shakeer assumed the role of the key implementing engineer for the Mobily project in KSA, demonstrating his technical prowess and proficiency in successful project delivery. Over the years, he assumed increasing responsibilities, including handling pre-sales for Mobile E, managing both mobile-E and non-mobile-E accounts, and gaining valuable exposure to techno-commercial aspects of the business. Recognizing his dedication and expertise, Shakeer was promoted to the position of Sales Director in 2016 and subsequently to General Manager, where he oversaw the company’s overall profit and loss (P&L). Currently serving as Vice President of Sales and Operations, Shakeer actively contributes to strategic decision-making at Emircom.
Throughout his illustrious career, Shakeer has honed his networking and technology expertise while working with global technology brands. In 2001, he joined Datacraft Asia in Hyderabad, India, as a resident network engineer, servicing esteemed clients such as General Electric (GE). His exceptional performance led to his promotion within two years to oversee pre-sales and post-sales activities in the Hyderabad region, collaborating with prominent clients including GE, Deloitte, HSBC, and SBI. This experience not only enhanced Shakeer’s technical skills but also provided valuable exposure to pre-sales processes and engagements.

In 2003, Shakeer joined HSBC in Bangalore as a Senior Engineer, assuming responsibility for managing telecom and networking operations across multiple locations, encompassing Hyderabad, Vizag, Bangalore, and Sri Lanka. His role involved collaborating with various vendors and acquiring expertise in CISCO technologies, alongside diverse applications and databases.

Throughout his tenure at Emircom, Shakeer has achieved remarkable milestones and significantly contributed to the company’s growth. He successfully retained Mobile-E customers for over 18 years, generating business worth more than 2 billion Dirhams. Shakeer played a pivotal role in expanding Emircom’s technology offerings beyond ICT, encompassing security, collaboration, networking, data, IoT, and big-data services. Under his leadership, Emircom achieved substantial growth, boasting an annual year-on-year growth rate of 10 to 15% and securing over 30 to 40 new customers. Shakeer has also fostered strong partnerships with renowned vendors, including Cisco, Oracle, Microsoft, AWS, and Symphony AI.

Among Shakeer’s noteworthy projects, he spearheaded the Smart Meter Project, serving as the metadata management and vendor for Saudi Electricity. This project remains one of the largest rollouts in the Middle East, further solidifying Shakeer’s expertise and leadership in the industry.

Looking ahead, Shakeer envisions Emircom’s evolution into a service-based provider, prioritizing holistic solutions over product sales. He is committed to embracing emerging technologies at an early stage, positioning Emircom as a comprehensive, turnkey provider for businesses. In the short term, Shakeer is actively preparing to launch a Network Operations Center (NOC) and Security Operations Center (SOC) in Q4 2023, while also focusing on introducing service-based solutions.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Shakeer is known for his amiable nature and his passion for cricket and music, which he enjoys during his leisure time.

Shadi Basta is an accomplished service delivery and sales professional, currently serving as the General Manager of the Service Provider Division at Emircom. Since 2005, Shadi has been an integral part of Emircom, working in different capacities across multiple departments, including pre-sales, sales, and service delivery.

Leading a dedicated team of 50 service delivery professionals, Shadi oversees key accounts such as Etisalat. With a background in electronics and communication engineering, he embarked on his career with Emircom in Sudan, Africa, initially working in the technical department. Progressing to the role of sales manager, Shadi later relocated to the Dubai office of Emircom in 2008.

During his tenure, Shadi took on the role of project manager, assuming responsibility for managing significant customer accounts like Etisalat. He successfully executed complex projects involving multiple vendors and diverse skillsets. One notable achievement was the completion of a large-scale project undertaken by Emircom in collaboration with Etisalat for the Abu Dhabi government. This project garnered several awards for Shadi and his team, recognizing his exceptional ability to meet strict deadlines and deliver outstanding quality.

With his expertise lying in project delivery, Shadi was subsequently promoted to the position of service delivery manager, based in Dubai. In this role, he played a crucial role in the creation of the service delivery department focused on serving the particular needs of the critical Service Providers.

In 2013, Shadi spearheaded the creation of the UAE Service Provider Unit to deliver further specialized support and dedicated attention to key customer accounts like Etisalat. This unit, where Shadi is General Manager, has since expanded into a robust team of 50 professionals.

Over his 18-year tenure at Emircom, Shadi has become renowned for his exceptional skills in handling challenging projects and resolving complex issues within a highly competitive and demanding customer service environment. His unwavering commitment to quality and his ability to surpass industry standards have earned him accolades. Shadi considers his career at Emircom as a remarkable learning experience and views the company as his extended family. His diverse experience within the organization has also equipped him with a strong foundation in various functions, including finance, accounts, and logistics.

Abdulaziz Alhalwan is a seasoned professional with two decades of experience working with multinational firms in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, offering an outstanding track record of performance acknowledged by steady advancement through increasingly responsible senior roles. He has a proven track record of success exceeding ambitious goals in the organizations that he has worked with.

He brings with him familiarity, knowledge and experience in varied domains including entrepreneurship, startups and in Information Technology having worked with prominent players like CISCO, Hewlett-Packard, VMWARE, Mobily and various banks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. His strength is derived from assisting large organizations to meet their board strategic plans, by cultivating long-term, strategic partnerships, and alliances, that yield high returns by elevating the company’s presence to gain the attention of key decision-makers.

Abdulaziz’s areas of expertise include experience in Capital Market, solid understanding of Legal, Compliance and Administration, building robust relationships at the VP level/CEO /CEO levels of vendors and customers. His acumen in Corporate Finance and Financial Management combined with a vast Business Operations experience in IT companies equips him to be a strong contender for CXO and consultation role in the technology domain.

Abdulaziz joined Saudi Emircom Company as its General Manager in April 2021 and in a short period of 18 months have created a significant impact for Emircom in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In KSA where an experience and strong national makes a whole difference, Abdulaziz is today the face of Saudi Emircom Company leading our ambitious transformation journey.

Before joining Saudi Emircom Company, Abdulaziz was working with VMWARE as its Country Public Sector Senior Manager, leading their sales achieving a YoY growth of more than 130%, while participating in the country’s vision of digitization. Prior to that he was working with Cisco Systems as Country Enterprise Manager covering the portfolio of Finance, transport, SABIC & Petrochemicals, utilities, and Smart cities Area’s with an attainment of more than $70M, leading a team of 6 senior Area Managers. Earlier in his career, he has also handled various roles with Hewlett-Packard, Banque Saudi Fransi, Riyadh Military Hospital, Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily) and Arab National Bank in KSA.

Abdulaziz completed his MS in Finance from King Saud University and has a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from King Fahad University of Petroleum & Minerals. He is based out of Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.