Cambodia Leadership Review
As one of Cambodia’s leading telecommunications operator, Smart Axiata is shaping the future of digital connectivity under the leadership of CEO Ziad Shatara. With a strong emphasis on empowering talent, driving innovation, and upholding ethical values, Ziad Shatara outlines his vision for sustaining Smart’s industry leadership. In this exclusive, he shares insights on leadership, evolving telecom landscape, Smart’s latest initiatives, and Cambodia’s potential as a digital hub in Southeast Asia.
Leadership Values and Guiding Principles
CLR: Ziad, as the CEO of Smart Axiata in Cambodia, what core leadership values and guiding principles will you bring to the organization? How do you plan to inspire your team and maintain Smart Axiata’s position as Cambodia’s leading telecommunications operator?
Smart Axiata has an exceptional, talented, and high-performing team with strong ethical values. Having been with Smart for over two years, I am honored to lead such a dynamic and high-achieving team.
To me, leadership is about helping people recognize and unlock their potential, guiding them to exceed their limits and reach new heights. My focus is on creating value for our employees, customers, business partners, stakeholders, and investors. I approach this by empowering individuals, granting them the authority to perform their roles, and providing guidance toward the collective vision we aim to achieve through innovative methods, always grounded in ethics and transparency.
Read More: Smart Axiata Scores Double Awards for HR and B2B Excellence
I am also a firm believer in continuous learning, which aligns with Smart Axiata’s culture. At Smart, we prioritize a culture of sharing and learning at all levels, ensuring that our employees have the skills and opportunities to grow. I also believe in empowering managers to become great coaches who inspire their teams and drive innovation.
In my role, I see myself as someone who empowers the team and nurtures local talent. I aim to foster a culture of collaboration and learning, where everyone takes responsibility and pushes boundaries, all while ensuring that our actions are rooted in ethics and transparency. I am proud of the company’s strong performance and the fact that we achieve this with integrity, always doing things the right way.
Challenges and Opportunities in the Telecommunications Industry
CLR: The telecommunications sector in Cambodia is evolving rapidly, with increased regulation and growing demand for digital connectivity while maintaining client safety. What do you see as the biggest challenges and opportunities for industry in 2025, and how will Smart Axiata address them?
Challenges #1: balancing between scaling local market development and keeping up with the rapid advancement in technology
One of the biggest challenges facing the telecommunications sector is striking the right balance between scaling local market development and keeping up with the rapid advancements in the industry. On one hand, there is a pressing need to expand and deepen market presence in the local context—this includes improving infrastructure, reaching underserved areas, and catering to the specific needs of the Cambodian market. However, on the other hand, the global telecommunications landscape is evolving at a fast pace, with new technologies, regulatory requirements, and digital trends emerging regularly.
This creates the challenge of ensuring local growth aligns with industry innovations like 5G, IoT, cybersecurity, and advanced data analytics. To stay competitive, companies like us must invest in infrastructure, talent, and technologies that support both local growth and global competitiveness.
Successfully balancing these priorities requires ongoing investment in innovation, strategic partnerships, and developing local talent to stay ahead in both market development and industry progress.
What Smart has done to address challenge #1
1. Invest in scalable, future-proof infrastructure and modular expansion to allow for gradual growth and integration of new technologies as needed, preventing overinvestment while ensuring scalability.
2. Focus on localized innovations by partnering with local businesses/service providers to tailor offerings to the unique needs of the local market.
3. Foster Continuous Learning and Talent Development: Invest in employee training programs for emerging technologies like 5G, AI, and machine learning to ensure a skilled workforce capable of driving innovation and executing market-specific strategies.
4. Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations: Forge strategic partnerships with global tech companies, telecom vendors, and government bodies to ensure rapid technology integration, knowledge sharing, and regulatory compliance.
5. Data-Driven Decision Making: Leverage big data and analytics to understand market trends, optimize network performance, and drive customer-centric innovation aligned with global digital transformation trends.
6. Adopt a Phased Approach to Technology Adoption: Adopt a phased approach to technology rollout, starting with pilot programs and testing before widespread implementation to ensure successful integration and customer satisfaction.
7. Customer Education and Engagement: Educate customers on the benefits of new digital services and engage with communities to raise digital literacy and foster smoother technology adoption.
Challenge #2: Cyber Security
As the backbone of communication and internet access, our telecom networks are constantly exposed to cyber threats. We face increasingly sophisticated attacks targeting our infrastructure and the vast amounts of customer data we hold. Safeguarding our networks requires significant investment in advanced security measures to prevent disruptions and protect our customers. Moreover, with the majority of cybersecurity issues caused by human error, education is crucial. We have been investing in this area, including through our CSR efforts to improve digital literacy in Cambodia.
What Smart has done to address challenge #2
Our customers entrust us with their sensitive information, and we are taking care of that aspect seriously. Our commitment to cybersecurity is unwavering. We invest in advanced technologies such as Next Generation Signaling Firewall and other security mechanisms and rigorous employee training to combat evolving threats like DDoS attacks and AI-driven hacking. We also prioritize compliance with strict data privacy regulations to safeguard our customers’ data. Through proactive security measures and robust incident response plans, we ensure the continuity of our services and protect our customers’ digital experience.
Challenge #3: Accelerate local content beyond entertainment
Currently, there is a lot of consumption on entertainment content. When people only consume entertainment content, it will lead to content saturation, requiring constant investment in fresh content. The high content licensing costs, and infrastructure strain from heavy entertainment consumption all add pressure.
This also led to the struggle with limited-service diversification, neglecting other growing digital services like education and healthcare due to high demand for entertainment content only.
Additionally, consumer expectations for affordable, high-quality content further challenge us to maintain competitive pricing while offering exclusive content.
What Smart has done to address challenge #3
1. Diversify Service Offerings and expand into new digital services: Telecom companies can broaden their service portfolio including cloud and enterprise solutions. This helps reduce reliance on entertainment content and caters to evolving customer needs.
2. Invest in innovative content: we invest in creating original content and personalizing content experiences to attract and retain customers by offering unique and relevant entertainment choices that are featured in Pleng App.
3. Improve Infrastructure and Network Capacity: continuously upgrade network infrastructure, including connecting our base transceiver station with fiber optics, and implement edge computing to optimize content delivery and provide a seamless, high-quality streaming experience.
4. Optimize content costs by negotiating favorable licensing agreements and explore alternative revenue models like flexible pricing and service bundles.
New Developments at Smart Axiata
CLR: What are some of the new initiatives or innovations Smart Axiata is planning under your leadership? How will these developments enhance the company’s ability to meet customer needs and maintain its industry-leading position?
We are building on the strong foundation of our network infrastructure, with our 4G network covering over 90% of Cambodia’s population, which remains a cornerstone of our service offerings. In line with the current digital landscape, we are placing a strong emphasis on cybersecurity and data privacy, ensuring that our customers’ information is secured and protected. Some initiatives we have implemented include achieving ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification for our Information Security Management System, deploying a Next Generation Signaling Firewall (NGSF) for our network, and introducing a Cybersecurity Add-on Product.
Read More: Smart Axiata Launches ‘Smart Cybersecurity Add-On’ to Strengthen Customer’s Online Safety
At the same time, we are expanding our role beyond connectivity, particularly in the enterprise sector. Through Smart for Business, we are introducing more integrated ICT solutions to help companies of all sizes navigate the digital economy with a pay-as-you-go model, so they can operate without big upfront capital expenditure. We want to be the trusted digital partner that enables businesses to scale and adapt with confidence.
We also enhance home broadband services, driving digital transformation through the integration of AI technologies and enhancing the overall experience by offering personalized and flexible.
Additionally, we are prioritizing sustainability through green technology initiatives, which will contribute to a more eco-friendly and responsible approach to business.
We are also enhancing the overall customer experience by offering personalized and flexible pricing models, ensuring that our services are accessible and tailored to meet the diverse needs of our customers.
On the customer experience side, we’re refining how we engage with our users, whether through digital platforms, retail channels, or support services. Recently, we have set up over 25 Smart Shop Express locations, on top of 36 existing Smart Shops that bring our products and services closer to our customers, especially in more remote areas. Our goal is to make every interaction more seamless, intuitive, and personalized, ensuring that our customers get the support they need in the way that suits them best. Ultimately, our focus remains on delivering meaningful innovation that enhances the way people connect, work, and live.
Outlook for Cambodia and the Telecommunications Sector
CLR: What is your outlook for Cambodia as a growing hub for digital connectivity and innovation? How do you see Smart Axiata contributing to the country’s development goals, and what advice would you give to businesses navigating the rapidly evolving telecommunications landscape in Cambodia?
I’m positive about Cambodia’s potential to become a leading hub for digital connectivity and innovation in Southeast Asia. The country has a dynamic and youthful population, which is eager to adopt new technologies and digital solutions. We’re witnessing rapid growth in mobile internet penetration, and with initiatives like the government’s “Digital Cambodia” strategy, Cambodia is on the path to becoming a fully integrated digital economy. This is a great opportunity for both local businesses and international players to thrive in a rapidly evolving market.
At Smart Axiata, we see ourselves as a key partner for stakeholders supporting Cambodia in its development goals by enhancing digital connectivity, expanding access to affordable and reliable internet, and enabling a wide range of digital services. Our ongoing investment in expanding 4G coverage and preparing for 5G infrastructure is central to bridging the digital divide. Furthermore, we are committed to empowering the business sector by providing digital solutions that support critical industries such as banking, textiles, retail, and education, contributing to a more resilient and innovative economy. Smart is also leveraging AI and emerging technologies to close digital gaps in Cambodia, marking a broader shift toward smarter, more efficient operations across industries. As part of the Axiata Group, we are exploring AI applications to enhance our services, improve the customer experience, and optimize internal processes, ensuring that we remain leaders in digital transformation.
For businesses navigating the rapidly evolving telecommunications landscape in Cambodia, my advice would be to stay agile and customer centric. The digital world is moving at an unprecedented pace, and businesses that can adapt to new technologies and trends quickly will have a competitive edge. It’s essential to leverage data-driven insights, invest in digital transformation, and foster innovation through partnerships and collaborations.
