I raq is a nation on the mend . Decades of civil unrest , compounded by war with the US coalition in the early 2000s and the ascendance of the Islamic State in 2014 , put the country on the back foot for much of recent history . Now , however , things are changing rapidly .

“ The powers of darkness that took over this country and put it into survival mode are gone ,” says Amir Abdelazim , Chief Technology and Information Officer at Asiacell , Iraq ’ s largest telecom operator .

Abdelazim , who joined the Asiacell team early in 2019 , adds that the process of rebuilding Iraq is underway . For Asiacell , he believes that this historic period of time not only represents a significant opportunity for growth , but also a debt of responsibility that Asiacell owes to the people of Iraq . “ You can ’ t rebuild a great nation in 2020 without putting the telecom sector at the heart of your efforts ,” he explains .

“ Asiacell is at the heart of that effort . We ’ re the number one player in the Iraqi market . There ’ s a kind of inherent loyalty that its customers and employees have to the brand . Customers believe in what Asiacell

FEBRUARY 2021

Business Chief Europe Magazine February 2021 | Page 166

Amir Abdelazim , CTIO at Asiacell discusses the company ’ s digital transformation , and the role it is playing in the digitalisation of the Iraqi economy

I raq is a nation on the mend . Decades of civil unrest , compounded by war with the US coalition in the early 2000s and the ascendance of the Islamic State in 2014 , put the country on the back foot for much of recent history . Now , however , things are changing rapidly .