E& Posts 61% Profit Surge on 198M Global Subscribers

UAE-based telecom and technology conglomerate e& (formerly Etisalat Group) reported a 60.7% surge in net profit to Dh8.8 billion in the first half of 2025, driven by strong revenue growth and strategic investments in AI, cloud, 5G, and fintech. Consolidated revenue increased 23.3% to Dh34.9 billion, with EBITDA rising 18.8% to Dh15.4 billion and a margin of 44.1%, supported by a global subscriber base growth to 198 million, including 15.5 million in the UAE. The company highlighted key strategic initiatives such as launching the UAE Sovereign Cloud Launchpad with AWS and the UAE Cybersecurity Council, implementing an AI governance framework with IBM, and expanding AI training programs for UAE nationals. CEO Hatem Dowidar emphasized the group's operational excellence and strategic divestments, including Khazna and Airalo, to enhance financial flexibility and accelerate growth in future technologies. Chairman Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Alzaabi credited the performance to strategic foresight and UAE leadership, underscoring e&'s commitment to digital sovereignty, secure AI, and cloud innovation while maintaining leadership in regional telecom benchmarks like fibre-to-the-home coverage.