Dialog Axiata

Overview

Dialog Axiata PLC

native name	ඩයලොග් ආසිආටා පි.එල්.සි; டயலொக் ஆசியாடா பிஎல்சி
type	Public Subsidiary
isin	isin: LK0348N00009
industry	Telecommunications
predecessors	MTN Networks (Pvt.) Ltd. (1993–2005) Dialog Telekom PLC (2005–2010)
foundation	August 27, 1993
hq location city	Colombo
hq location country	Sri Lanka
key people	David Nai Pek Lau (chairman) Supun Weerasinghe (Group Chief Executive))
products	Fixed & Mobile Telephone Fixed & Wireless Broadband Satellite TV MobileTV
revenue	LKR187.813 billion
revenue year	2023
operating income	LKR20.874 billion
income year	2023
net income	LKR20.113 billion
net income year	2023
assets	LKR286.247 billion
assets year	2023
equity	LKR66.337 billion
equity year	2023
owners	Axiata Investments (Labuan) Limited (73.75%) Bharti Airtel (10.355%)
parent	Axiata Group Berhad
subsid	Dialog Broadband Networks (Pvt) Ltd Dialog Television (Pvt) Ltd Digital Holdings Lanka (Pvt) Ltd Dialog Device Trading (Pvt) Ltd Dialog Business Services (Pvt) Ltd Dialog Finance PLC Dialog Network Services (Pvt) Ltd Firstsource-Dialog Solutions (Pvt) Ltd
website	https://www.dialog.lk
footnotes	‡R1R‡

Dialog Axiata PLC (formerly known as MTN Networks and later Dialog Telekom), is one of Sri Lanka's largest[2] telecommunications service providers, and the country's largest mobile network operator with over 17 million subscribers which amounts to 77% of the Sri Lankan mobile market.[3][4] Dialog is a subsidiary of Axiata Group Berhad which owns 73.75% controlling stake of the company, while Bharti Airtel owns 10.355%

Dialog was Listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange in June 2005.[5] As of February 2017 Dialog Axiata holds 86.3 LKR2 billion (US$573 million) in market capitalization[5] and the 5th largest listed company in Sri Lanka by Market Capitalization. In 2015 "Dialog" brand name was valued at LKR 28.6 billion (US$204 million) and as the 3rd most valuable brand in the country by business magazine

History

MTN Networks (Pvt) Ltd (1993–2005)

Dialog was incorporated in 1993 as MTN Networks (Private) Limited with 90% of equity through Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) and 10% by Capital Maharaja being the local promoters to the investment. Telekom Malaysia (TM) is the Majority owned by the Government of Malaysia, and is the incumbent and dominant fixed-line telecom operator in Malaysia. At the time of setup, MTN was the 4th entry to the Sri Lankan Mobile market which already had 3 established operators.

In 1995 just after 2 years of incorporation, MTN Networks began its commercial operations under the brand name Dialog GSM by rolling out the first digital network in South Asia using GSM technology hence offering a superior service compared to analog networks at the time.

In 1996, the local promoters divested their stake providing complete ownership of MTN Networks to Telekom Malaysia. In mid-1997 Hans Wijayasuriya was appointed as the CEO of MTN Networks, at the age of 29 becoming the youngest CEO in a multimillion-dollar investment.[13]

Marking another regional first Dialog GSM was the first operator in Asia Pacific to deliver international roaming in 1997.[14] MTN Networks was able to record its first operational profit for the financial year of 1998 when Dialog GSM had a subscriber base close to 75,000. Beginning of the new millennium brought fortunes for Dialog as in the year 2000 it was able to attain the market leader position in the mobile market surpassing the incumbent operators.[15]

The year 2001 saw the launch of Dialog Internet, thus starting Internet service provider operations by launching GPRS and MMS services based on existing 2G infrastructure and becoming the first GPRS and MMS operator in South Asia.[13]

In 2004 surpassing a milestone Dialog GSM was able to attain 1 million subscriber base and to commission its 500th 2G base station.[15][16]

Dialog Telekom PLC (2005–2010)

In March 2005 MTN Networks Pvt Ltd unveiled its new corporate identity as Dialog Telekom Ltd at a shindig witnessed by Mahathir Mohamad, Former Prime Minister of Malaysia, celebrating the Company's ten years of telecommunications infrastructure development in Sri Lanka.[17] In 2005, Dialog Telekom launched the largest IPO seen by the Sri Lankan capital markets in an attempt to finance expanding the network. The Dialog Telekom initial offer, which was launched on a book building structure at a price range of LKR 8 to LKR 12 per share, consists of 712.3 million ordinary shares, which is a 9.6% stake of the company.[18] Offer was oversubscribed 3 times within an hour of opening and Dialog Telekom was able to raise LKR 8.55 Billion (US$77 million) in fresh capital making this the largest IPO to date in the country.[19] Dialog Telekom made history on the first trading day when trading commenced at a price of LKR 14.25 making Dialog Telekom the first Sri Lankan Company to reach the US$1 billion market capitalization mark.

In 2005 December, Dialog Telekom Acquired 100% stake of MTT Network Pvt Ltd for LKR 1.86 Billion (US$19.2 million).[20][21]

Dialog Axiata PLC

In 2018, Dialog launched the anonymous messaging platform Yeheli.lk. Driven by technology from Bangladeshi company Mayalogy, it connects users with experts, especially on the subject of women’s health and well-being.[24][25]

Chief Executives

The following is a chronological list of people who have served as chief executive officer of Dialog Axiata PLC in its history

Mr. Mohammed Said Mohammed Ali (1993–1996)[26]
Datuk Zaini Diman (1996–1997)
Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya (1997–2016)
Mr. Supun Weerasinghe (2017 – present)[27]

Dialog Axiata

History

MTN Networks (Pvt) Ltd (1993–2005)

Dialog Telekom PLC (2005–2010)

Dialog Axiata PLC

Chief Executives

Mobile

Television

Global

See also

External links

References