George Zhang, CEO Huawei Romania
We will continue the process of consolidating our presence in Romania
Managing the effects of the Covid-19 epidemic has certainly been the most important challenge of 2020, both at individual and corporate level.
The fact that we are a leader in the field of communications technology has helped us enormously in adapting quickly and successfully to the new conditions generated by the pandemic. The human interaction, which is in our nature, is sure to have suffered and we missed it. From this point of view, we anxiously await the return to normal life, pre-Covid-19. I am confident that vaccination will help us quickly regain that normalcy.
Going back to 2020, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues for their efforts to keep telecom networks running within optimal parameters. Last year, remote communication replaced direct interaction in many areas, but also in personal life. It resulted in a significant increase in data and voice volumes that transitted communication networks and we managed it without a problem, together with our telecom operators partners. It was an invisible work for the end-users, but real and worth knowing and appreciating.
I was deeply impressed by human solidarity, the way Romanian society reacted as a whole to the challenges raised by Covid-19. I cannot forget, for example, the extraordinary mobilization in the first months of the pandemic, when masks, ventilators, disinfection products, various other protective and medical equipment were needed in hospitals. Companies, non-governmental organizations, businessmen and citizens got involved and supported the efforts of the authorities, through donations, through volunteering, each in his own way. This solidarity and engagement made an important difference for the better in the management of the Covid-19 epidemic in Romania and confirmed once again the solid foundation on which my attachment to Romania and Romanians was built – empathy, human warmth, desire to help.
Plans and expectations for 2021
My wish and that of Huawei is to continue the process of consolidating our presence in Romania. Since 2003, Huawei’s local footprint has grown steadily. Along with Germany, Romania is a key pillar of our presence in Europe. We have thousands of employees in Romania, global service centers, while the workforce is extremely well prepared and appreciated, including by global management. We have already developed an economic and business ecosystem around Huawei, with thousands of partners and millions of customers. We trust that, as in the last 20 years, we will have an important role in the development of new telecommunications networks, given as 2021 is slated to be the year of the 5G frequencies tender.
We are also determined to continue our social responsibility programs. Education is closely linked to the long-term prosperity of a society. For this reason, Huawei will continue to support projects focused on education, whether we are talking about the local footprint of global projects or some specifically implemented on the Romanian market. Investing in education is a key element of our vision to support Romania’s long-term development.
2021 can be the year of 5G
The year 2021 will mark an upturn for the Romanian economy. How strong this upturn is depends on each of the Romanian citizens, because the success of the vaccination campaign will be decisive in returning to a normal way of life in the end. Such an evolution will surely have a positive impact on each of us.
I also think that the year 2021 can be the year of 5G. Communications technology has already shown the importance and complexity of its role in many areas. The rapid and successful implementation of 5G networks will play a key role in supporting the growth of the Romanian economy, not only in 2021, but in coming years as well.
In order for the rollout of 5G to run smoothly and the technology to reach its true positive potential for the Romanian economy, for the industry and the citizens, it will have to be the result of a frequency spectrum tender held in conditions of free competition and based on extremely clear technical criteria and international standards, including for cybersecurity.
5G will be a real leap not only in the telecom field, but also in artificial intelligence, autonomous driving, production activities, health, smart homes and smart cities and the Internet of Things. It is a moment of technological restart that Romania must embrace on a correct basis from the very beginning.
Message for the ABSL community
Today, ABSL is a well-known and established name in representing the business services sector not only in Romania, but also internationally, in Poland, the Czech Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Latvia. The Romanian ABSL community is probably one of the most lively and vibrant within the organization, bringing together top companies that share a desire to contribute to the development of a predictable and stimulating business climate in the business services sector. My message to all colleagues in ABSL is one of confidence and optimism about the outlooks of 2021. I have confidence in the potential of the Romanian market and in the opportunities it will present us.
The more involved, more active each of our companies is in the ABSL community, the more we stand to gain as an organization. It is also important to remain open to new members, as well as to continue to position ourselves as an open and constructive dialogue partner in relation to the institutional environment, with other business organizations, including from related fields.
I would like to extend my sincere congratulations for ABSL performance in 2020. It has not been an easy year. However, it proved yet another occasion the professionalism and vision that were the basis for the rapid and extremely solid development of your organization in Romania. I wish you much success in 2021 too!