Navigating Mergers: From Engineer to Telecom Business Specialist

Kuwait is making substantial investments in its telecom sector, positioning itself as a significant player in the region’s telecommunications landscape. In the midst of this telecom innovation, Brunel specialist Ancy is working on one of the largest mergers and acquisitions projects for a prominent player in the industry. During our conversation, she shared insights into her educational background and career development.

Hi Ancy! You joined Brunel in February 2022 in Kuwait to work as a business specialist at one of the leading providers of telecom services in the Middle East. What does a business specialist do?

Typically, what business specialists or consultants do is enhance a company’s processes, policies and procedures. Together with my team, I conduct technical and non-technical analyses of 1,500+ telecommunication towers. This involves analysing contracts for all these towers, both virtual and physical. We also assess the virtual profit and loss assumptions for these towers.

What exactly is a tower company?

A tower company, also known as a TowerCo, is an entity that owns, operates, or manages telecommunication towers as part of its core business model. These companies play a critical role in enabling wireless connectivity by managing the physical infrastructure that supports mobile networks.

What does a typical day at work look like?

My workday begins with monitoring ongoing project tasks and activities. I update completed tasks or progress in the project tracker and attend meetings with various project stakeholders to monitor the status of assigned tasks. Additionally, I plan schedules for upcoming project milestones and allocate manpower for various project activities. Lastly, I coordinate with the finance department to track budget costs.

What did your work experience look like before Brunel?

Before joining Brunel, I worked as an automation engineer, which aligns with my educational background as I hold bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electronics and communications engineering. Following my studies, I accumulated nine years of experience in control system design, project planning and management.

And what motivated you to transition from the engineering domain to focus more on the business and organisational aspects of the corporate world?

I had earlier collaborated with a project manager and observed how this colleague navigated the intricacies of project management, including planning, budgeting and execution. This experience sparked my interest and prompted me to try it myself.

What are some of the trends in the telecommunications industry moving forward?

There are several trends shaping the industry at the moment. For instance, 5G represents the next major advance in telecommunication networks, promising faster speeds and more reliable connections. Furthermore, like in any other industry, artificial intelligence is being utilised for data analytics and automation, presenting various opportunities for innovation.

What do you like about working at Brunel?

Maintaining a healthy work/life balance is important to me, and it's also a value prioritised at Brunel. The entire team is supportive and approachable, and they put in a lot of effort to maintain good relationships with their employees.