Prior to this appointment, Qadri advised the boards of a number of technology, communications and venture capital and private equity firms on value creation, corporate structuring, market, product and corporate development. In his most recent corporate role, he served as the Group Strategy Director at Telefonica S.A. with responsibility for corporate strategy, business development and innovation. Qadri also sat on Telefonica’s boards in the Czech Republic and the shareholder Telco Board in Italy.
Dr. Nasser Marafih, CEO of the Qtel Group, the majority shareholder in wi-tribe said: “We are very thankful for the leadership of Sami Hinedi, who led the successful set up of wi-tribe in Bahrain, Jordan and Pakistan. Based on Sohail’s track record in leading telecom companies - in both advanced and emerging markets - and his strategic vision, his appointment was a unanimous decision among the board of the Qtel Group. We are pleased with Sohail’s appointment as he has the talent and experience to lead wi-tribe as it is focuses on delivering next-generation services to our customers in Pakistan, the Middle East, Far East and beyond.”
The Qtel Group has made major investments in three greenfield mobile broadband companies putting wi-tribe at the forefront of the telecommunications industry’s move to 4G. Today with a presence in Bahrain, Jordan, Pakistan and Philippines wi-tribe is building its global high-performance networks.
Prior to joining Telefonica S.A. Qadri was one of the founding members of O2 plc and on the company's Executive Committee and Board. He played a key role in the transformation of O2, the development of the O2 brand, the review of its M&A options and managed the alignment programme with Telefonica. In addition, during his tenure as Group Mobility Director at BT plc, he sat on the boards of various mobile companies and led the acquisition of equity stakes and telecom licenses in Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Commenting on his new role and appointment Qadri said, "wi-tribe has already built a reputation for innovation and an enviable position within the broadband industry. It's a great honour to join its leadership team and have the opportunity to build on the company’s success. My focus will be listening to customers, delivering outstanding experience and fresh services, serving the communities where we operate and building a leadership brand."
Sohail assumed his new duties June 1. He succeeds Sami Hinedi, a 3-year company veteran.