e& (Etisalat Group)

How the UAE’s national telecom champion became a global technology conglomerate.

UAE Today Editorial  |  Business & Technology

For nearly half a century, one company has kept the UAE connected: Etisalat, now known as e&. What began in 1976 as the nation’s first telecom operator has evolved into a sprawling global technology and investment group serving well over a hundred million customers worldwide. Understanding e& reveals how a state-backed telecom champion reinvented itself for the digital age — and how the UAE is projecting its technological ambitions far beyond its borders.

From National Operator to Global Group

Founded in 1976 and headquartered in Abu Dhabi, Etisalat built the backbone of the UAE’s communications, connecting homes, businesses, and government across the young nation. Over the decades it expanded internationally, entering markets across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Backed by the Abu Dhabi government as its controlling shareholder and listed on the local exchange, it grew into one of the largest and most valuable telecom groups in the region.

The Birth of ‘e&’

In February 2022, the company unveiled a bold new identity: e&, short for a vision that goes far beyond traditional telecoms. The rebrand signalled a transformation from a connectivity provider into a global technology and investment conglomerate. The familiar Etisalat name lives on in the UAE as ‘etisalat by e&’, preserving its heritage while the parent group pursues a broader, more ambitious future built around digital services and strategic investment.

Four pillars of growth.  —  The new group organised itself around distinct business verticals. Alongside its core telecom operations, e& life delivers digital consumer experiences in areas like entertainment, retail, and financial services; e& enterprise drives digital transformation for governments and businesses through cloud, cybersecurity, and AI; and e& capital acts as an investment arm pursuing acquisitions and startups. Together they extend the company far beyond phone lines and data plans.

A Global Investment Reach

e& has backed its ambitions with major international moves. It has become a significant strategic shareholder in a leading European telecom group, expanded its footprint across Africa and Asia through established subsidiaries, and acquired stakes in digital platforms and technology businesses. These investments reflect a clear strategy: to use the strength of its UAE base to fund growth in higher-value, faster-moving digital markets around the world.

Powering the Digital UAE

At home, e& remains central to the UAE’s digital ambitions. It has invested heavily in advanced networks, rolling out high-speed fibre and next-generation mobile technology that place the country among the most connected in the world. This infrastructure underpins everything from smart government and e-commerce to emerging technologies, making e& a key enabler of the nation’s broader digital transformation.

A National Champion on the World Stage

The story of e& is the story of a company that refused to stand still. By evolving from the UAE’s first telephone provider into a global technology and investment group, it has mirrored the nation’s own journey of ambition and reinvention. As the world grows ever more connected, e& stands as one of the UAE’s proudest corporate champions — carrying the country’s name and its digital aspirations across the globe.

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