Lisbon, Portugal, 22 March, 2012: Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, held the 3rd Huawei International Advisory Council (IAC) meeting in Lisbon, Portugal from March 2-4. Attendees, which included members of the IAC, local board of directors and advisors from Huawei’s overseas subsidiaries and the company’s senior management team, explored the opportunities and challenges facing Huawei in the fast-changing ICT industry, and discussed Huawei’s global development roadmap.  A significant outcome of this meeting was the IAC’s identification of Europe as one of the most important markets for Huawei's future development.  

The Huawei IAC was formed in 2010 and currently comprises industry experts, business leaders and academics from countries such as the UK, the U.S., France, Australia, China, Japan and India.  These advisors draw on their expertise to provide Huawei with insights and analysis on trends and issues impacting the global ICT and economic environment, and make recommendations on the company’s business strategy. 

In the opening speech, Huawei’s Deputy Chairman, Mr. Guo Ping said: “Against the backdrop of unprecedented rapid development of the ICT industry, Huawei needs to continually optimize and refine our management system and business direction to maintain our competitive edge, maximize the creativity of our well-educated workforce and more effectively leverage growth opportunities. It is for these reasons that Huawei has invited the industry’s best minds to the IAC; to tap their invaluable experience and industry knowledge in order to chart our strategy for continued success.”

The focus of the meeting centered on Europe’s strategic importance for Huawei.  Europe is one of the most mature ICT markets in the world and provides unparalleled resources and talent.  Huawei has created more than 5,000 job opportunities in Europe and has established competence centers and R&D centers in the UK, France, Italy, Sweden and Germany. Huawei has also established a local board of directors and advisory councils in the UK and France, which are led by local senior management to develop and implement local business strategies.  

After considering the IAC members’ suggestions, Huawei will increase its investment in Europe. The focus areas for this new investment are to establish more win-win partnerships with European firms, create more jobs and attract local talent, better adapt to the local market environment and develop Europe as an important source for business continuity internationally.

Huawei will also put more focus on efficiency and profitability. At the same time, Huawei will strengthen the foundation of its business in Europe by improving compliance operations, forming an effective local governance and management system, and build brand awareness.  In addition, Huawei will leverage local talent and resources to strengthen its European operations and to benefit the local communities. In the mid-to- long-term, Huawei will reinforce its capabilities in Europe by hiring more local talent - including mid-level and senior management executives – systemically developing and deploying its resources and capabilities across the supply chain, enhancing the efficiency of its finance and operations centers, as well as exploring further cooperation opportunities with local partners.

Mr. Kevan Watts, IAC member and world renowned expert in the field of finance, said: “The ICT industry is one that is strategic to the socio-economic development of countries around the world and we are pleased to see industry leaders such as Huawei actively driving the global ICT agenda. I am also excited about Huawei’s localization strategy, particularly the enhanced local innovation and R&D efforts in regions like Europe. Huawei is now not only a global company, it is also a local company.”

-End-

About Huawei

Huawei is a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider. Through our dedication to customer-centric innovation and strong partnerships, we have established end-to-end advantages in telecom networks, devices and cloud computing. We are committed to creating maximum value for telecom operators, enterprises and consumers by providing competitive solutions and services. Our products and solutions have been deployed in over 140 countries, serving more than one third of the world’s population.

For more information, visit Huawei online: www.huawei.com.

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/huaweipress  and YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/HuaweiPress.