A challenge Whitehill hopes to have resolved soon for Vodafone Qatar is full network coverage across the country, especially in the desert areas, where both Qataris and expatriates spend a lot of time on the weekends and need to know their phones will work. “You shouldn’t have to think about it,” says Whitehill. (Image Corbis)
Vodafone Qatar’s ‘3D’ Strategy
recounts how he had recently seen a 2004 photo of West Bay Concerning Vodafone’s domestic strategy for Qatar, Whitehill calls and was then shown an artist’s impression of how Qatar might this the ‘Three Ds: Deserts, Doha and Developments’. “We have to look in 2030. “Unbelievable,” he says. “And what I sat and thought was, I want be physically present outside of Doha,” Whitehill elaborates on the first point, explaining that desert coverage is crucial in appealing to to be a part of this, because I don’t think there are many jobs or Qataris. “Whether there is one person or a thousand people there countries in the world where people like you and I have got the we have to be there,” he says.” You shouldn’t have to think about it.” opportunity to be part of this extraordinary change...this real sense Then Doha, Whitehill explains, has not evolved to be highly of pride about the expectation in Qatar is really high and so I need compatible with traditional mobile networks. Mobile signal has to aim high for Vodafone here, that is what I need to do.” to penetrate high, thick-walled office towers and underground, as well as handle busy shopping malls, also with thick walls. “The priority is giving you great coverage,” Whitehill repeats. “I don’t need you to be worrying about not getting a good signal.” The third D, development, is an equally important focus for Vodafone Qatar because the country, and especially Doha, is growing so fast. There are, Whitehill offers, more developments in the city in 20 years here than in the borough of Manhattan in New York, which is of comparable size, in a century. “They had 100 years to get it right, and here it is all being done in less than 17 years from now.” The vital thing Whitehill adds, is to try and correctly anticipate what technology might be available in the future and to be prepared for how that will affect coverage. Fortunately, Whitehill has technology on his side, including access to research and development data from the entire Vodafone Group, working on what fixed lines and mobility might look in the future and how to apply software solutions to optimise networks. Vodafone Qatar CEO Kyle Whitehill hopes that during his tenure the firm’s QE share price will Nowhere perhaps is this more pressing than New exceed QAR10 . “My number one priority is delivering returns for my shareholders,” Whitehill tells Qatar. As the interview winds down, Whitehill The Edge. The Edge | 63