Mamy Traore profile

Mamy Traore

Chief Executive Officer, GUILAB SAAmidst the vast digital highways of submarine cables, a standout luminary emerges in the exciting world of modern telecommunications. Just as an adept captain navigates through rough seas, companies like GUILAB SA find themselves sailing in the vast ocean of connectivity, led by an impressive figure who steers the course with suave expertise. Allow me to introduce Mamy Traore, the inscrutable CEO of GUILAB and a true conductor of leadership in the telecommunications sphere.

From the Scratch

Mamy Traore was born and raised in the thriving city of Kankan, which is located roughly 600 kilometers east of Guinea’s capital, Conakry. From an early age, Mamy Traore developed a strong belief in the critical role that education plays in fostering development. His early years were devoted to a never-ending quest for knowledge, setting him on a course that would eventually see him become the second of the only two members of his outstanding family of 33 siblings to get a college degree.

After completing his secondary education in Kankan, Mamy Traore’s ambitions led him to the prestigious University Gamal Abdel Naser in Conakry, where he studied Computer Science, his ideal field. He worked hard and tenaciously to get his degree, which prepared him for his first professional position as an analyst programmer at the National Tax Bureau of Guinea.

But Mamy Traore quickly made a crucial professional change as a result of his desire for advancement and a more challenging setting. He chose to work in the private sector and began an amazing adventure inside the telecoms sector, creating a lasting impression on important firms like Huawei Technologies and MTN over his ten-year stay.

Mamy Traore’s trajectory produced numerous rewards, including significant recognitions that underlined his extraordinary efforts, via persistent commitment and an uncompromising focus on perfection. Notably, the prestigious MTN-Guinea IT Best Employee Award for 2011 is a testament to his outstanding accomplishments.

From Knowledge to Leadership

Despite shouldering a demanding workload, Mamy Traore remained committed to an unceasing quest for academic advancement, actively engaging in an array of continuous training programs encompassing Project Management, Leadership, and ICT workshops. This steadfast dedication to learning is evidenced by his attainment of the esteemed Project Management Professional (PMP) Certificate in 2011, conferred by the renowned Project Management Institute (PMI) headquartered in Pennsylvania. In parallel, he successfully earned a Bachelor’s Degree in International Law from the esteemed local distance learning institution, ISFAD (Institut Supérieur de Formation à Distance).

During the span of 2008 to 2012, Mamy shared his expertise through part-time instructional roles, imparting knowledge on Unix/Linux Computer Operating Systems and Project Management at Kofi Annan University. This commitment to education endured and extended to the present day, with him contributing as a part-time Project Management instructor at the University Gamal Abdel Nasser of Conakry on weekends since 2013.

These accomplishments propelled Mamy Traore to a stage where his aspirations encompassed national policy-making and strategic planning, necessitating a higher tier of skill enhancement. In his pursuit of expanding his career horizons in policy-making, a remarkable opportunity arose when he was selected as a recipient of the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship by the US Department of State. From 2018 through 2020, he dedicated himself to obtaining a Master’s degree in Science, Technology, and Public Policy from the esteemed Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). His master’s thesis delved into an insightful exploration of the Status of Innovation within the Self-Driving Cars industry.

As a student, Mamy also assumed a part-time role as a Peer Consultant in the Expressive Communication Center (ECC) of RIT, providing invaluable support to fellow graduate students in honing their public speaking and communication skills.

Returning to his homeland of Guinea in 2021, Mamy Traore resumed his journey within the telecommunications realm, assuming the position of Director of Corporate Affairs at MTN. Notably, his exceptional capabilities and leadership prowess led to his eventual appointment as the esteemed Chief Executive Officer of GUILAB.

GUILAB SA in a Nutshell

GUILAB SA, also recognized as “La Guinéenne de Large Bande” or Guinean Broadband SA, a publicly held corporation established through a collaborative venture between the Guinean State and private entities (telecommunications operators and Internet Service Providers) in March 2011. This consortium-driven public-private partnership (PPP) manifests itself as a board of directors. GUILAB’s primary mandate revolves around the effective management of allocated capacities and the ongoing maintenance of telecommunications infrastructures affiliated with the Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) submarine cable system within the Republic of Guinea.

In its decade-long operational tenure, GUILAB has held a pivotal role as a vital member of the Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) consortium, overseeing the submarine cable operations within Guinea. Among its array of services, GUILAB provides international leased line (LLI) services for the seamless transportation of international telecommunications offerings such as Voice, SMS, Signaling, and Data, along with international IP transit for telecommunications operators and Internet service providers. Notably, GUILAB extends colocation services, affording a secure haven within its tier III Data Center for the hosting of critical digital infrastructure.

Central to GUILAB’s mission is its unwavering dedication to fuel the development of the digital economy within the Republic of Guinea. This aspiration materializes through the provision of impeccably high-quality connectivity services, accessible universally and tailored to offer optimal value. The overarching vision for GUILAB extends beyond mere existence, propelling the company to consistently surpass its own benchmarks. This vision is underpinned by aspirations to be a benchmark not only on a national and regional scale but also within the esteemed ACE consortium.

Balancing her responsibilities at EGIDAYS with her role at Bank Julius Bär is a top priority for Noëlle Demole. She prioritizes her full-time work at the bank, ensuring she meets all responsibilities efficiently. Outside office hours, she dedicates her time to EGIDAYS, working during lunch breaks, evenings, weekends, and holidays. For Noëlle, work is an integral part of life, and she finds fulfillment in both roles through strategic time management and unwavering dedication.

As the CEO

Mamy Traore, at the helm of GUILAB, has led the charge in pursuing an ambitious commercial agenda, resulting in remarkable achievements and prestigious accolades, securing a spot among the nation’s TOP5 best performing companies. Notably, these achievements encompassed a robust 22.38% year-on-year increase in business top lines, a remarkable 40.51% surge in activated ACE network capacity, a staggering 214% surge in IP transit revenue, and an impressive 42% growth in colocation business revenue.

Beyond financial success, GUILAB’s strategic prowess extended to becoming the fourth contributor to ACE submarine cable consortium maintenance costs, while internally, a robust business process optimization facilitated streamlined operations, propelling telecommunications service offerings in Guinea. Mamy Traore’s strategic acumen further shone through in continuing pivotal alliances with industry giants such as Netflix, Google, Facebook, and Akamai, elevating user experiences by hosting cache servers and delivering heightened value to GUILAB’s direct customers, including Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and telecommunications players.

Moving forward, Mamy Traore’s strategic vision for GUILAB is shaped by a profound understanding of global telecommunications trends and local dynamics. With foresight into potential disruptions within Guinea’s telco infrastructure markets, including submarine and dark fiber optics, as well as pivotal components like FTTH and FTTP, GUILAB is primed to navigate these shifts. Drawing from a decade of telecom infrastructure expertise, the aim is to harness this accumulated knowledge on national, regional, and ACE consortium scales. This strategic vantage point positions GUILAB to offer value-added services leveraging existing infrastructure and platforms, thereby evolving into a potent Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) provider.

Fueled by this transformation, GUILAB is poised to emerge as a key player in the B2B and B2C landscape, providing cutting-edge digital solutions. This two-fold approach seeks to both stimulate demand and effectively address market needs, cementing GUILAB’s pivotal role in ushering in a new era of digital connectivity and innovation.

Leadership and Impact

Laurel Sim emphasizes crucial qualities required for effective project leadership. One of these qualities is the ability to pivot quickly and respond to issues and risks proactively. As a project leader, Laurel believes it is essential to be adaptable and agile in navigating unexpected challenges that arise during the course of a project. By recognizing potential issues and risks ahead of time, Laurel can take proactive measures to mitigate their impact, ensuring smoother project execution.

However, it is important to note that while Laurel can identify potential solutions, the ultimate decision-making authority lies with the executive leadership team. As a project leader, Laurel’s role is to present the available options and provide well-informed recommendations. This allows the executive leaders to make informed decisions on the best direction for the project, leveraging their expertise and strategic vision.

Laurel’s education has played a significant role in equipping her with the skills necessary to excel in project leadership. Through her educational journey, she has honed her ability to learn about new concepts, technologies, and methodologies. This continuous learning mindset ensures that Laurel stays updated with the latest industry trends and best practices. Additionally, her education has fostered critical thinking skills, which Laurel considers to be the powerful machine that propels her forward in overcoming challenges and finding innovative solutions.

Furthermore, beyond her professional career Laurel Sim has served on a number of volunteer boards. Even if each position has a unique meaning, she is most passionate about Noah’s Law, an organization, which she personally feels is tremendously fulfilling to lead the group through the challenging procedure of introducing a private member’s bill to the Canadian Senate and the House of Commons.