CRAIG EHRLICH – INTERIM CHAIR FOR GSMA BOARD

Craig Ehrlich, an Executive Board Member of SUNDAY, the Hong Kong-based mobile phone network operator he launched in 1996, is today appointed Chairman of the GSM Associations CEO Interim Board.

January 2, 2003. Craig Ehrlich, an Executive Board Member of SUNDAY, the Hong Kong-based mobile phone network operator he launched in 1996, is today appointed Chairman of the GSM Associations CEO Interim Board.

The GSM Association (GSMA) has the strategic goal of identifying, prioritising and accelerating the development of seamless and consistently available wireless services for consumers to enjoy globally. Its members today serve four out of five mobile phone customers in the world.

Over the last six months, Ehrlich has acted as Chairman of the GSMAs CEO Advisory Board, which devised the landmark structural changes to the governance of the GSMA. Ehrlich will now take over the CEO Interim Board chair prior to the selection and formal approval of the full 23 member CEO Board, which will take place through mid February 2003.

The CEO Interim Board comprises CEO-level representatives of the following network operators: Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile, NTT DoCoMo, China Mobile, SingTel Group, Cingular Wireless, TIM (Telecom Italia Mobile) Telefónica Móviles, Sonera and AT&T Wireless.

By getting co-operation, agreement and involvement at Boardroom level among the largest wireless groups, we can unite this industry and drive it forward at an even faster pace," says Ehrlich.

The introduction of new services – such as 3G – can be achieved with greater speed, clarity and direction when the leading operators communicate and co-operate on the basic technical enablers," he adds.

In the recent past, our lack of collective focus on key technical enablers has led to piecemeal, fragmented approaches to the delivery of some of the more complex services - such as mobile data and mobile commerce – and this in turn has led inter-operability problems resulting in confusion for our global customer base."

Ehrlich states: The new Board will target confusion and replace it with clarity. We will prevent fragmentation and instead work together to deliver compelling new interoperable services on a common global platform. That way we, as an industry body will help to increase the values of our members businesses by delivering the best results, not only for our members but also for all their customers and their shareholders and the global investment community."

Ehrlich has worked in the communications industry for twenty- three years – and has lived and worked in Hong Kong since 1987 when he joined Hutchison. In March 2000, Ehrlich successfully led the IPO of the SUNDAY group both on the NASDAQ and the Hong Kong stock exchange.

Ends

Note to editors:
Craig Ehrlich will be available for telephone and face-to-face interviews early in the New Year. He will be prepared to discuss the strategic goals of the GSMA and its members, as well as wider wireless industry issues.

If you would like to talk with Craig, please contact Kevin Taylor or Clare Bragg at Companycare Communications who will be scheduling the calls and meetings. (email Kevin@companycare.com or Clare@Companycare.com or telephone +44 118 939 5900)

About the GSM Association:
The GSM Association (GSMA) consists of more than 550 second and third generation wireless network operators working collaboratively to accelerate the implementation of collectively identified, commercially prioritised operator requirements. The GSMA also represents 140 key manufacturers and suppliers to the wireless industry. The Association's members provide digital wireless services to more than 777 million customers (end November 2002).
The GSM family of wireless communications platforms account for approximately 71 percent of the total digital wireless market today. The GSM Association is a unique organization, with truly global reach, offering a full range of business and technical services to its members. For more information, visit the website at www.gsmworld.com.
GSM is a registered trademark, registered and owned by the GSM Association.

About the CEO Board:
The new GSMA CEO Board will comprise 23 Boardroom level executives of wireless network operators. The 12 leading operators or operator groups by subscriber number will be allocated seats on the new Board. The other nine members are being chosen by a procedure of open nomination and selection. The nine members will be selected to ensure diverse regional representation and a voice for the smaller, independent operators. In addition, the CEO Board will also include the Chairman of the Executive Management Committee – which reports to the Board - and the GSM Associations CEO.

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