Georgetown Executive Majlis Series Continues with Keynote from Vodafone CEO

Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) recently hosted the second of its Executive Majlis series, a forum that brings together senior executives from various industry sectors to engage on topics of vital importance to their organization’s operations and the future of Qatar. As a GU-Q facilitated platform, the Executive Majlis series also aims at fostering and further developing the university’s ties with its valued partners, but also among community and business leaders in Qatar.

Giving a talk on the topic of “Localizing International Brands and Engaging with Audiences in Qatar”, Kyle Whitehill, Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone Qatar, was the keynote speaker at the event. Mr. Whitehill said that he is honored to have been invited by GU-Q to take part in the Executive Majlis series noting that this event was a great opportunity to share the story of Vodafone’s journey so far in the State of Qatar and to discuss what the industry could hold for the country. He further stated that it was also equally important and inspiring to hear from the faculty and students of Georgetown University, alongside their esteemed cross-industry attendees, about their respective experiences in Qatar. Addressing the issue of organizational community outreach and development in Qatar, Mr. Whitehill said, “Our engagement with the academic organizations, especially with the caliber of Georgetown University, is strongly in line with our priorities to demonstrate that Vodafone is not only an “Employer of Choice” but also a key contributor to the overall development of the community. This session is the first in a series of activities we hope to engage with Georgetown University on in order to further our outreach and support to their students,” he commented.

Throughout a lively discussion with the audience, Vodafone CEO also talked about Vodafone’s entry and growth in the Qatari market and the challenges and opportunities. He also touched on company’s business offerings, market share growth and the company’s key community engagement programs and initiatives which were created to bring the brand closer to the people of Qatar.

The topic was highly relevant to all in attendance, and particularly those organizations who have faced similar challenges in localizing a global brand such as Squire Patton Boggs, Blue Rubicon and even Georgetown University itself.  The open dialogue format allowed guests to share their experiences and discuss talk further addressed the value of understanding the local target customers by demonstrating that the operator understands the intricacies and needs of their market by designing a creative platform in order to sustain the brand’s local promise without affecting the fundamentals of the global brand.