Irfan Wahab Khan at MWC Shanghai 2019

Telecommunications has accelerated development of key sectors, spurring economic growth and opening countless avenues to empower individuals and societies, said Irfan Wahab Khan, Head of Telenor Group’s Emerging Asia Cluster and CEO of Telenor Pakistan, at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Shanghai. His keynote at MWC, ‘Pioneers of Intelligent Connectivity’, also shed light on how intelligent connectivity and Telenor Group’s disruptive innovation are transforming lives of millions, enabling basic civic rights through mobile birth registration and equipping the unbanked with mobile financial services, among others.

MWC Shanghai 2019 highlighted how ICT-powered solutions and services are creating strong socioeconomic impact. Irfan highlighted the advent of the Asian Century and role of Telenor Group in transforming health, financial services and agriculture in Asia. In particular, he listed innovative mobile-based solutions like Bangladesh’s ‘Tonic’, Myanmar’s ‘WaveMoney’, and Thailand’s ‘Smart Farmer’, which are providing a myriad of digital health services, safe money transfers, and IoT farming solutions respectively to millions of people.

In addition, he shared how Telenor Group is using big data to help predict outbreak of chronic diseases like dengue in Pakistan and malaria in Bangladesh. The partnership between Telenor Microfinance Bank in Pakistan with its Malaysian counterpart Valyou has also introduced Pakistan’s first blockchain-based cross-border remittance service, powered by industry-leading blockchain technology developed by Alipay of the Ant Financial Services Group.

“Mobile connectivity and the internet are the greatest equalisers of our day. They impact nearly every aspect of life today, driving social interactions and creating new business opportunities. Through the power of connectivity, Telenor Group has been connecting people to what matters most for the past 160 years. We will continue to do so through disruptive innovation that empowers societies and improve lives, in order to secure a better future for all,” said Irfan.

MWC Shanghai 2019 is focusing on technologies of the future that include 5G, IoT, AI, big data, blockchain and beyond. The event features the most influential and industry dominating companies and organizations coming together to explore the depths of Intelligent Connectivity. Through the MWC19 Shanghai platform, leading companies take charge of industry-focused discussions, influence the future of connectivity, and unveil new intelligently connected technologies. In addition to his keynote and other MWC engagements, Irfan is also set to hold meetings with global tech leaders, partners and innovators in technology to explore opportunities through the technology-driven ecosystem.