Panelist
speaker
Moderator
conference Team

Sam Darwish

IHS Towers Chairman
Sam Darwish

Sam Darwish has over 25 years’ experience in the telecommunications industry and co-founded IHS Towers in 2001. Under Sam’s leadership, IHS Towers has grown from a start-up infrastructure company in Nigeria to one of the leading emerging market communications infrastructure businesses.

Previously he served as the Deputy Managing Director of CELIA Motophone Ltd, Nigeria’s first Global System for Mobiles (GSM) operator. He was also the Vice Chairman and Director of Projects at Lintel, an international GSM operator, responsible for global project implementation in West Africa and the Middle East. Before that he was the Network Chief Engineer for Libancell (currently Touch), Lebanon’s first GSM network operator.

Additionally, Sam founded Singularity Investments, a private investment firm with a focus on technology, media and telecommunication companies with investments in the United States and the emerging markets. He is also the Founder and President of DAR Properties, a property investment company, and DAR Telecoms, a telecommunications consulting company.

Sam is a graduate, with distinction, of the American University of Beirut with a Bachelor’s Engineering Degree in Computer Communications. He was awarded the CNBC Africa Business Leader of the Year Award for West Africa in 2016 and the TowerXchange Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017 for his founding and continued leadership of IHS Towers. Sam is a US citizen, a member of the Wilson Center Global Advisory Council and frequent speaker at telecommunications industry events. He is also a Trustee of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, New York.  

Agenda

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Keynotes
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Saturday
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9:05 am
Klarman Hall
Diverse
Building Africa’s Digital Infrastructure to Spur the Next Decade of Innovation
Bridging Africa's digital divide and navigating its impact on African innovation
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Building Africa’s Digital Infrastructure to Spur the Next Decade of Innovation

Africa is in the midst of a digital revolution: approximately 473 million Africans are online, and an additional 300 million will likely join them by 2025. Average download speeds in Africa doubled between 2015 and 2019, while data costs halved. Underpinning this growth is the installation of digital infrastructure (fiber optics, data centers, and more) -  Africa has witnessed notable strides in digital infrastructure development, with increased investments in 4G and 5G technology. In an era where digital connectivity has become the linchpin of economic progress, what will it take for Africa to compete in the global digital economy? 

In this keynote panel, we will hear from the folks building that infrastructure and deploying. The session will share insights into bridging Africa's digital divide, navigating the impact of these technological advancements on the continent's innovation landscape, as well as delve into discussions on financing structures, inclusivity in access, digital economic transformation, and the pivotal role of government policies.

America/New_York
Feb 17, 2024 9:05 AM
Klarman Hall