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THE TEAM
Bridge Connect is led by Fraser Curley, a technology and telecoms veteran of over 40 years international experience.
He is supported by a team of seasoned management, investment and technology professionals.
FRASER CURLEY
PARTNER
Fraser has spent over 40 years in the high-tech markets, including defense electronics, mobile telecommunications, and corporate venture capital. He has accrued extensive experience in a variety of international markets, ranging from North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa to Asia and the CIS.
During the past 25 years he has overseen high value investment portfolios and worked in (both permanent and interim) CEO roles, NED and shareholder advisory roles. His focus has been increasingly on igniting growth and turnaround situations with an emphasis on four main areas:
• Redefining and implementing winning business strategies for sustainable growth
• Defining and communicating achievable shareholder ROI
• Culture change and operational efficiency
Fraser has spent a number of years in the Middle East,including at the region’s largest telecommunication operator group, Saudi Telecom (STC), which generates over 16 billion USD of annual revenue, of which over 5 billion USD was from the international investments under Fraser’s responsibility.
He was a member of the senior executive team within the group, responsible for strategy, investments and the corporate VC fund, where he oversaw a DPI performance of 2752%. He represented STC on the boards of its largest holdings.
Previous to this role, he worked as the CEO of the mobile operator Zain KSA, a Vodafone Partner market operation in Saudi Arabia (Vodafone’s largest in the Middle East). Here he successfully built the foundation of the turnaround of the company – a listed mobile operator generating 2 billion USD annual revenues – under exceptionally difficult circumstances. Completed ahead of schedule, the major financial restructuring of Zain KSA secured the mid-term sustainability of the company through 5 billion USD of additional funding and deferred payments.
He also drove above-market revenue growth in a highly penetrated market (over 200%), secured access to the full expertise, brand and product portfolio of Vodafone, and added an extra 4% on the EBITDA margin through operational improvements and rationalization.
Before joining Zain, Fraser was a shadow CEO and Shareholder adviser to a leading operator, in an emerging CIS market. This 11-year-old cellular operator was challenged by new entrants and an entrenched incumbent operator, within 36 months, Fraser has directed the company to achieve:
• Revenue growth of 550%+
• EBITDA increase from 15% to 45-50%
• ARPU growth of +20%
• Network KPIs raised to international benchmark standards
• Re-brand of service offering and revitalisation of retail environment
His career has also seen him in the head ICT partner role for a leading international management consulting company (Arthur D. Little), as well as playing a pivotal role in a multinational telecommunication group (Deutsche Telekom) where he was head of all non-equity mobile activities for over eight years.
Fraser holds a BSc (Hons) in Applied Physics and Electronics from the University of Manchester, and a Masters degree in Telecommunications and Satellite Communications from the University of London (Intercollegiate).
ALAN HARPER
ASSOCIATE SENIOR PARTNER
Alan is a veteran of the telecoms industry having spent over 40 years building and running international telecoms and technology businesses.
He was a founder of one of the UK’s early mobile network operators, having previously worked in fixed services for Mercury Communications and telecoms technology for STC.
He was then part of the team which built Vodafone Group into one of the largest and most valuable MNOs in the world and then in 2008 founded Eaton Towers, an African towerco now part of American Towers.
He now supports a portfolio of companies in mobile, submarine cable, satellite and software sectors.
RICHARD PERRY
ASSOCIATE SENIOR PARTNER
For over 20 years, Richard has consistently demonstrated his ability to help clients make transformational change through strategic marketing and brand improvements.
He has worked with a wide range of tier-one consumer brands such as American Express, TKMaxx, P&O Cruises, Virgin Atlantic, and Xerox.
He has had equal success internationally particularly in telecoms with a diverse range of clients such as Bakcell, Nokia, Samsung, T-Mobile, and Zain.
Richard is a founding partner at creative communications agency, Founded, winner of the MAA Breakthrough Agency of the Year 2015.
Prior to this, Richard was COO at gyro, an agency that he helped grow from 3 to 650 people in 17 countries.
THOMAS STROHMAIER
ASSOCIATE PARTNER
Thomas has more than 20 years of experience in innovation strategy, business planning and M&A in the telecoms and ICT markets.
With previous roles in Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile, ABB and Arthur D. Little he brings a diverse perspective on market developments from operator, vendor and advisor perspective to clients in Europe, the Americas and the Middle East.
Thomas holds an MSC in international management from the University of Vienna and an MBA from the Open University.
KARL BOOTH
ASSOCIATE PARTNER
Karl is well known in the retail and wholesale sectors within the mobile telecommunication markets. He has over 20 year’s experience at MNOs, MVNOs, MVNAs and MVNEs in defining and implementing strategies for both host MNOs and virtual network operators.
His industry experience includes roles within Vodafone UK (wholesale board), where he drove the company to market leadership within four years, and one of the world’s largest MVNO groups, LycaMobile (CCO) where he was responsible for new markets and commercial strategies across Asia, Middle East North and South America.
Karl has a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Lancaster University and BSc (hons) degree in Chemistry, from the University of Surrey.
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