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  • March 2008 (Revised October 2009)
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Crossing Borders: MTC's Journey through Africa

By: Tarun Khanna and Ayesha Khan
  • Format:Print
  • | Pages:25
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Abstract

This is the story of MTC, a Kuwaiti telecom company that has grown from a sleepy, state monopoly to become one of the fastest growing telecom companies in the world, with the largest regional footprint across the Middle East and Africa. The CEO of the company, Dr. Saad Al Barrak, had been successful in executing an aggressive growth plan that found its crown jewel in the acquisition of Celtel, one of the largest telecom companies in sub-Saharan Africa. However, this acquisition threw MTC into a dynamic new context and marked the beginning of a very different phase. If Dr. Saad was going to lead MTC into the topmost ranks of global telecom, his team would have to successfully grapple with all the growing pains of managing across borders, brand names, and cultures. All against the backdrop of an unpredictable African market with huge growth potential and rapidly increasing competition.

Keywords

Mergers and Acquisitions; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Global Strategy; Globalized Firms and Management; Growth and Development Strategy; Emerging Markets; Telecommunications Industry; Africa; Kuwait

Citation

Khanna, Tarun, and Ayesha Khan. "Crossing Borders: MTC's Journey through Africa." Harvard Business School Case 708-477, March 2008. (Revised October 2009.)
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About The Author

Tarun Khanna

Strategy
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Related Work

    • November 2008
    • Faculty Research

    Crossing Borders: MTC's Journey through Africa (TN)

    By: Tarun Khanna
Related Work
  • Crossing Borders: MTC's Journey through Africa (TN) By: Tarun Khanna
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