Mon Sep 09 14:45:08 UTC 2024: ## GSMA Appoints New Director General, ETNO Rebrands and Names Potential Leader
**London, UK -** In a series of industry announcements, the GSMA has appointed Vivek Badrinath as its next Director General, effective April 1, 2025. Badrinath, a seasoned executive with experience in leadership roles at Vantage Towers, Vodafone, and Orange, succeeds Mats Granryd, who is stepping down after eight years at the helm.
Meanwhile, the European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association (ETNO) has rebranded to Connect Europe and proposed Alessandro Gropelli as its new Director General. Gropelli, currently the Deputy Director General, is expected to take over from Lisa Fuhr who is leaving to become the CEO of Géant.
Connect Europe’s new vision focuses on driving innovation, investment, and competitiveness in the European connectivity sector. The organization will work with the new European political leadership to build a long-term partnership for the coming decades.
In the Asia Pacific region, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) has announced a $3.2 billion investment to expand its datacentre capacity in India by 550MW. This significant investment reflects the company’s confidence in India’s digital economy and aims to meet the burgeoning demand for digital infrastructure.
Other notable industry news includes the upcoming launch of extended reality (XR) glasses by Japanese mobile operator NTT Docomo, powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 chips. Additionally, Aleph Zero has become the first blockchain organization to join the Camara Foundation, a joint GSMA and Linux Foundation project developing standardized APIs for telecom networks.
These developments signal continued growth and innovation in the telecommunications industry, with a focus on advancements in mobile technology, digital infrastructure, and blockchain integration.
First Piper 