José María Álvarez-Pallete assumes the presidency of the GSMA

GSMA, an association that includes the largest telecommunications operator groups and small independent operators with global reach, has decided to appoint José María Álvarez-Pallete, executive president of Telefónica, at the head of his council.

With this election, the presidency of the GSMA will fall to a Spanish company for the first time in the history of the association. Alvarez-Pallete will occupy the position between February 2022 and December 2024.

He president of Telefónica access the GSMA Council Presidency at a crucial moment, as he suggests in his first statements as leader of this organization. "I am very proud to join the GSMA as president representing the global mobile ecosystem. Technologies such as 5G, edge computing, cloud, cybersecurity, AI and IoT have redefined the way society operates and interacts, paving the way towards the metaverse, web3 and the new digital era."

Álvarez-Pallete will contribute from the GSMA to the strengthening and development of these technologies “without losing sight” of the human dimension and the values that must govern the digital transformation. "Progress on digitalisation must include responsible leadership to drive growth, job creation, sustainability and accelerate digital inclusion. I look forward to supporting the GSMA to drive these critical issues forward," he says.

The great telecommunications market

The GSMA (Group Speciale Mobile Association) represents more than 400 telecommunications companies around the world, creating more than 25 million direct and indirect jobs. According to data from Telefónica, mobile technology generates 4.4 trillion dollars in added value, which represents 5.1 percent of the world's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). By 2025, it will reach 5 trillion dollars, with the development of 5G as a definitive lever of productivity and efficiency.

At the end of 2020 (last year with official data), there were more than 5 billion people subscribed to mobile services, representing 67 percent of the world's population. The forecasts aim to reach 2025 with at least 500 million new users, reaching more than 70 percent of the world's population.