Annual Report 2008 - Axiata Group Berhad - Investor Relations

The Group completed its strategicdemerger exercise that saw theseparation of the mobile businessfrom TM. The demerger resulted inTMI emerging as an independententity in the regional mobilet e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s m a r k e t ,enabling it to focus on its own corebusiness and accelerate operationali m p r o v e m e n t s a n d g r o w t hinitiatives. TMI was listed on BursaMalaysia Securities Berhad (BursaSecurities) on 28 April 2008,marking a new chapter in itstransformation towards becominga regional giant in the mobilecommunications market.Since then, the Group has continuedto build on its strengths andsynergies. As part of its move toconsolidate and strengthen itsregional footprint, the Groupentered into an arrangement withIdea Cellular Limited (Idea), whichwill see the merger of Idea andSpice Communications Limited(Spice) in India. The enlarged Ideais the fifth largest mobile player inIndia’s high growth market. Inaddition, the Group expanded itsregional partnerships with the entryof Japan’s largest cellular operatorNTT DoCoMo, Inc. (DOCOMO) intoTM International (Bangladesh)Limited (TMIB) in June 2008.Marking a new Era:AxiataThe Company has, with effect from31 March 2009, changed its nameto Axiata Group Berhad andlaunched its new identity on 2 Aprilthis year, as part of a rebrandingexercise aimed at enhancing itsposition as a leading regional mobileoperator. The move was a requisitestep to reinforce the Group’s newbusiness philosophy and itscommitment to Advancing Asia bya d d r e s s i n g t h e u n f u l f i l l e dcommunication needs of localpopulations with affordable andinnovative products and services.As an emerging leader, Axiata willcontinuously invest in innovativeproducts and services that areuniquely catered for customers inAsia. It is committed to bringingfirst-class resources, technologyand expertise to its unique portfolioof growth assets. In all spheres ofits operations, Axiata’s OperatingCompanies (OpCos) play a leadingrole in developing and enhancingthe local telecommunicationsindustry.As a Group, Axiata is a uniqueorganisation, combining the localexpertise of national operatingcompanies with the strong supportof a regional corporation. Throughaffordable connectivity, Axiatabridges relationships between 1.5billion people across Asia to theworld.Today, the Group providesemployment to over 25,000 peopleacross Asia, bringing greateropportunities and developing worldclass talent across the region. Itsregional platform enables thedynamic exchange of knowledgeamong employees and contributesto the human capital developmentof the OpCos.Axiata, as a major regional entity inmobile telecommunications iscommitted to using its technologicaland human capabilities to drivesocial, economic and environmentalchange in the nations it serves andplans to introduce and implementits Group Corporate Responsibility(CR) Policy and programmeinitiatives in 2009. In line with theUN Millennium Development Goals(MDGs), the Group’s CR initiativeswill be focused on Information andCommunication Technologies (ICT)for development, education andthe environment.Because it understands Asia, Axiatais piecing together the bestt h r o u g h o u t t h e r e g i o n i nconnectivity, technology andpeople, uniting them towards asingle goal: Advancing Asia.17