Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, has announced plans to enhance its regional presence in the consumer electronics market through the appointment of Sandeep Saihgal as Vice President – Middle East of Huawei’s consumer business group, Huawei Device. The appointment is in line with Huawei’s plans to expand its market share in the region while offering consumers a host of new, cutting-edge mobile devices in the year ahead.
In his new role, Saihgal is responsible for driving Huawei’s go-to market strategy across the Middle East while expanding the brand’s footprint into emerging markets. Working closely with Huawei’s existing management team, Saihgal is also tasked with promoting regional alliances with key retail and distribution channel partners, as well as overall product marketing aimed at driving brand recognition for Huawei across all channels in the region.
“The consumer electronics market in the Middle East has seen robust growth over the past year with leading global vendors introducing more competitive products across different market segments, welcoming in a new era of possibilities within the communication landscape,” notes Saihgal. “Huawei’s focus on customer-centric innovation has already seen the brand evolve rapidly over the past three years. Moving ahead, it will be a pleasure to work with a growing regional team to offer more and more consumers the opportunity experience Huawei devices for themselves.”
A seasoned industry professional, Saihgal brings nearly 20 years of hands-on experience to Huawei primarily in the consumer electronics and ICT domain. Before joining Huawei, Saihgal served as the VP and Managing Director Middle East for Research in Motion (Blackberry) where he was responsible for launching Blackberry services across the region while managing all carrier relationships between RIM and distributors in the Middle East.
Sandeep’s prior experiences also include senior management positions with Samsung Gulf Electronics and Fedders International, focused on Middle East & Africa operations.
“Although a relatively young brand in the region, Huawei’s consumer business has already started to change the dynamics of the Middle East consumer market, opening up a host of new possibilities in the world of communications,” adds Mr. Jiao Jian, President of Huawei Device Middle East. “Sandeep’s extensive experience in the region and across the industry at large, as well as his insight into the local consumer mindset, will add enormous strategic value to our local expansion plans.”
Over the past year, Huawei has launched several world-firsts in the consumer electronics market focusing on smartphones, tablets, and mobile Wi-Fi devices. These have included landmarks such as the Ascend P6, the slimmest smartphone in the world, as well as the world’s biggest smartphone, the Ascend Mate, and the world’s fastest LTE smartphone, the Ascend P2. Huawei has also solidified its leading position in the field of mobile Wi-Fi devices.
As of Q3 2013, Huawei device shipments outside China accounted for 40% of the company’s total shipments, up from 30% in Q2 2013. In the first half of 2013, Huawei smartphone shipments alone reached 21.14 million units globally, an increase of over 80% from the same period in 2012.
In the Middle East, Huawei has made significant strides over the last year by also forging strategic alliances with leading telecom operators and distribution partners in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman, underscoring the company’s drive to increasing its overall visibility in the consumer space.
