Telenor, Adriel chiefs hail positive impact of tech

Adriel CEO Sophie Eom (pictured, left) doffed her cap to operators for doing an “amazing job providing infrastructure based on which people can build new things”. Her company helps new and small businesses to exploit opportunities afforded by this technology, specifically providing digital marketing services she said enables companies to thrive.

Eom carved out a name for herself as an entrepreneur, successfully starting her first business in her 20s and earning herself a place on Forbes Top 30 Under 30 list. She has also participated in a United Nations programme focused on improving security, which she explained is now a key issue for businesses of all sizes.

She said the UN panel believes governments and the private sector should talk openly about security concerns “to minimise the risks and maximise the opportunities”. Greater transparency was cited as a key factor, helping to build trust and so reduce the dangers around security.

Irfan Khan, head of emerging Asia and CEO of Telenor Pakistan (pictured, right), noted trust as a critical element in the operator group’s business across the region and beyond.

He explained how the company  deployed technology to benefit people, for example an NB-IoT network in Norway where sensors are used to evaluate snow levels and weather conditions to predict when avalanches might happen, or sound the alarm when they do.

A similar set-up in Pakistan covering flood warnings is transforming the lives of people living along the banks of a large river, he noted.

“Deploying sensors, looking into the river water flows, looking into the weather conditions and giving early warning… is actually saving lives every day”.

“That’s the power of technology, that’s the impact you can create in the communities.”

Telenor, he said, believes innovation is about more than just the technology or ideas: “it’s about solutions… it’s about the impact and the local relevance which you can contribute in people’s life”.