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Millicom International Cellular SA (MICC) |
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CEOCFO Current
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This is a printer friendly page! Branding,
distribution and price leadership are driving success for Millicom International Cellular Millicom International Cellular S.A. (Nasdaq: MICC)
is a global telecommunications investor with cellular operations in Asia, Latin America
and Africa. It currently has a total of 16 cellular operations and licenses in 15
countries. The Group's cellular operations have a combined population under license of
approximately 382 million people. In addition, MIC provides high-speed wireless data
services in five countries. “When I took over in 1998, we were
at the stage where we had collected quite a number of licenses across a large number of
countries including a number of operations where we only had the minority interest.”
Offers Mr. Marc Beuls, president & CEO of Millicom
International Cellular S.A., “What we have done since is we
have been focusing on a smaller number of markets, and those markets where we have a
majority stake and we are the managing partners of the joint venture. As a result, we are
now in the position to drive those businesses harder and increase the growth faster than
before.” Asked to describe Millicom’s biggest challenge Mr. Beuls replied, “The biggest
challenge for us is to cope with this increased growth. We really see great opportunities
in the countries where we are now present. We want to seize those opportunities. We are a
relatively small organization, so we will have to work hard to cope with that growth but I
am very much convinced that we can do that. The growth is there in Asia and Africa. We
will be there to take advantage of that.” Commenting on how Millicom maintains
its leadership position Mr. Beuls tells us, “We think that the choice of technology is not necessarily a
determining factor here; what is important is branding, distribution and leadership. Those
are the three pillars of our strategy in all three markets. That is why we are one of the
leaders in those markets and we will be able to stay a leader in those markets.”
Addressing investors Mr. Beuls says, “We
are operating in high growth markets and that is an upside. That is why I think there is
still a great opportunity in the stock. Secondly, because of one business we acquired and
reacquired in September of last year, some people don’t realize the real size of the
business; it is only going to be in the fourth quarter numbers that we are going to
publish on February, 10th that people are going to see what the real size of
the business is, in terms of revenue and operating profit. On top of that, given all the
restructuring we had been doing in 2003, the balance sheet doesn’t necessarily
reflect the real level of debt which we have today; the balance sheets always reflect the
past, so at the end of the year people will see a clean balance sheet after the
restructuring. I think that is going to open some eyes in Europe and here in the United
States.” |
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