Country: 
Lebanon
Associated organisations: 
Governmental Body
Professions: 
Director
Engineer
Executive General Manager
Field(s) of expertise: 
Engineering
Areas of Impact: 
Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

Personal information

Diana Bou Ghanem
Director of Telecom Sites and Equipment, Ministry of Telecommunications, Lebanon

Contact information (Private)

Contact information (Work)

Ministry of Telecommunications
+961 1 979416
+961 3 483606

Community/Lebanon Impact

It is little things that make an impact, just like a drop of water that goes unnoticed and breaks rocks. Being a public servant, I always look for Lebanon’s public interest and the influence we can exert with the power invested in us. I have contributed to building Lebanon's national telecommunication infrastructure that supports Lebanon’s Mobile fixed and data service providers and digital economy in general. I was an expert with the Bassel Fuleihan Institute of Finance participating in Lebanon's Methodology for Assessing Procurement System MAPS, leading to the issuance of the new public procurement law 244/2021. I have trained public servants and private companies on public procurement and its various methods, contract management, PPP, cost modeling,  and other ICT related subjects. I have written guidelines to help implement the new procurement law. Finally, I am a Gender focal point supporting gender equity and mainstreaming.

Social Media

Education

Education: 
  • Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA), Beirut Arab University (BAU), Lebanon
  • Master’s degree in Business Administration, 2007, Lebanese American University, Lebanon.
  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer and Communications Engineering, 1988, American University of Beirut, Lebanon.

Work history

Previous Professions: 
  • Head of Equipment Department at the Ministry of Telecommunications and Project Coordinator for Network Expansion and Management at Ogero.
  • Technical Consultant and Head of the Information and Communications Technology Department in the Minister’s Office, 2003-2016, Ministry of Telecommunications.
  • Project Manager for Establishing Customer Service Centers in Lebanon, 2009, Ministry of Telecommunications.
  • Tender Manager for the Management of Alfa and Touch Cellular Networks, 2008, Ministry of Telecommunications.
  • Project Manager for Establishing the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, 2005, Ministry of Telecommunications.
  • Head of the Working Group for Lebanon's Participation in the World Summit on the Information Society, 2003-2005, Ministry of Telecommunications.
  • Network Operations Manager - Telecommunications and Public Switching Networks, 2001, Ministry of Telecommunications - Ogero.
  • Head of the International Operations Department, 1998, Ogero.
  • Programmer and IT Project Manager in banking services, IT companies, network planning, and private sector contracting, 1988-1995.

Major Achievements

Publications (Books, Articles, Reports, etc.): 
Major achievements: 

2017 - Present: Chief Engineer, Equipment Department, and Project Coordinator with Ogero.

  •  Coordinating with Ogero in regulation, tenders, and product development for commercial offers covering business planning across all commercial sectors, including new FTTx and service portfolio.
  •  Managing public-private partnership processes in telecommunications, internet services, copper line sharing, and centers for mobile and internet services.
  •  Member of the tender committee for OSP FTTx access network and Project Manager for IPMPLS OTN in the core network.
  •  Developing cost models and studying new fiber optic internet tariffs.

2008-2017: Telecommunications Advisor in the Minister’s Office, Cellular Sector Owners Authority:

  •  Managed the "Management Agreement" for the cellular sector related to key performance indicators and all commercial figures in the reports of Lebanon’s cellular network operators, Zain and Orascom. Served as Head of the Commercial Unit in the Cellular Sector Owners Authority, 2011.
  •  Developed cost models and service planning for cellular services, cost models for DWDM fiber network, and contributed to the development of FAC and LRIC cost models, 2011.
  •  Managed the tender for cellular network management in Lebanon, leading to management agreements with Orascom and Zain, starting February 2009.
  •  Prepared for BPO Call Center services in Lebanon, including SWOT analysis and technical, organizational, and legal preparations, 2009-2014.

2001-2014: Head of the Information and Communications Technology Office and Technical Advisor in the Minister’s Office:

  •  Contributed to the ITU 2013 report on "Measuring the Information Society" through the IDI index and to ESCWA’s report on Lebanon’s digital economy.
  •  Member of the Arab Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Group (AMAG) for the Arab Internet Governance Forum (IGF), 2012-2014.
  •  Contributed to drafting and issuing ITU Resolution 173 from the 2010 Plenipotentiary Conference (Guadalajara, Mexico) on "Hacking and Attacks Against Fixed and Mobile Networks in Lebanon," 2010.
  •  Managed the project to prepare for the establishment of the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) with the European consulting firm, contributing to the development of regulations covering licensing, spectrum, numbering, tariffs, interconnection, and more, 2004-2005.

 

Exhibitions, lectures & performances: 
  • She has contributed to several conferences, the latest being the Menaree in Dubai 2023 on Engineering Education in a time of transformation
Collaborations and Partnerships: 
  • She is a Jury member for ESCWA Digital Arabic Content Award 2022, 2023

Accomplishments

Certificates: 
  • She is a certified PPP professional from APMG and a certified mediator from LAMAC (Lebanese Association for Mediation and Conciliation).

Competences & Skills

Field(s) of Expertise: 
  • Informaton and Communication Technologies
  • Telecom operations
  • Telecom and ICT regulations
  • Public Private Partnership
  • Contract and Project Management
  • Public Procurement
  • Gender equity
  • Training
  • Evaluation and Monitoring
Languages: 
  • English
  • Arabic