GSMA Launches Mobile 360 Series of Executive Conferences

- New GSMA Events Provide Greater Focus on Regional Industry Issues

LONDON, April 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The GSMA today announced that it is expanding its events portfolio with the launch of the GSMA Mobile 360 Series, a new regional conference series for executives in the mobile industry, as well as key regulatory and government representatives. The new thought leadership conferences will complement those that are run as part of larger GSMA events such as the Mobile World Congress, Mobile Asia Expo and NFC & Mobile Money Summit and will explore key mobile industry trends and issues on a regional basis. In 2013, the GSMA will host Mobile 360 Series conferences in Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.

"Mobile has completely changed how nearly half of the world's population communicates and accesses life-enhancing services and information, and it's also transforming many industries, such as automotive, education, healthcare, finance and utilities," said Michael O'Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. "However, deployment and use of mobile varies from region to region and players across the mobile landscape face unique opportunities and challenges based on their specific market dynamics. With events held around the world, the Mobile 360 Series will bring together the growing mobile ecosystem to address the most pressing regional topics and issues."

The GSMA has confirmed the dates and locations for the Europe and Middle East Mobile 360 Series events. Mobile 360 Series-Europe will be held 5 September in Brussels. The Mobile 360 Series-Middle East conference will be held 21-22 October and will be co-located with GITEX at the Dubai World Trade Centre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Ooredoo, a leading mobile operator group with more than 90 million customers across the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia, has signed on as a Gold Sponsor for Mobile 360 Series-Middle East.

"Drawing more than 25,000 C-level executives, GITEX is widely recognised as the leading ICT event in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region," continued O'Hara. "In establishing this collaboration with GITEX, we will work together to build upon their considerable success and provide an even greater mobile focus to attendees at GITEX Technology Week."

Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing and CEO of Dubai World Trade Centre, said: "As the global mobile industry experiences exponential growth in ground-breaking innovations, interconnectivity and infrastructure, we are very pleased that the GSMA, which produces the industry-leading Mobile World Congress, is bringing its new Mobile 360 Series conference to GITEX Technology Week in Dubai. The strategic convergence of these two mega brands in Dubai will offer the global technology community the invaluable creative opportunity to access one of the most sought after emerging markets in the world."

Further information, including specific dates and locations for the Mobile 360 Series conference in Latin America will be forthcoming. For information on the Mobile 360 Series, including sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.mobile360series.com.

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. Spanning more than 220 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world's mobile operators with more than 230 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers and Internet companies, as well as organisations in industry sectors such as financial services, healthcare, media, transport and utilities. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as the Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Expo. 

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com or Mobile World Live, the online portal for the mobile communications industry, at www.mobileworldlive.com