THE PEOPLE

NetLinks was formed by a group of prominent investment bankers with extensive regional experience. The founders continue to oversee the strategic direction of the company and provide it with technical investment banking guidance. The company is managed by Engineer Arif Abdulmalik who is the Managing Director and also one of the founding partners.

The Managing Director of NetLinks was the Director of the Telecommunication Bureau for the Gulf Cooperation Council (TBGCC) based in Bahrain for 12 years (1986 to 1998). Before that he was one of the first engineers joining the Permanent Telecommunication Committee (1981-1986), which was the predecessor of the Telecommunication Bureau.

During his tenor at the TBGCC Mr. Abdulmalik was responsible for overseeing and technical and strategic matters concerning frequency management (Technical Coordination, Regulatory issues, Licensing, and Assignment) among the six Gulf States and in relation to the international community, covering broad spectrum of services, standards, projects, and clients such as:

- Land mobile communications (GSM, TACS, Nordic, Trunking Systems, military mobile systems, etc.)

- Aeronautical communications (VHF telephony, ILS, VOR, DME, etc.)

- Radionavigation (Radars, GPS, Glonass, Loran-C, Hyper Fix, etc.)

- Maritime communications (VHF Channel planing, MF&HF planing for voice, telegraphy, selective calling, etc).

- Satellite Co-ordination in respect of terrestrial services such as microwave links.

- Broadcasting (LF/MF, HF, FM, TV, MMDS, etc.)

Conference participation:

Participated and conducted presentations in some of the most important World Radiocommunications Conferences dealing with all aspects of radio-standardization, and many other regional meetings, as head of delegate:

- World Radiocommunications Conference (Geneva, 1995).

- World Radiocommunications Conference (Malaga, 1992).

- Regional Administrative Conference for the planning of VHF/UHF Television Broadcasting in the African Area and Neighboring Countries, first session (Nairobi, 1982), second session (Geneva, 1989).

Mr Abdulmalik has a Master Degree in Telecommunication systems- Essex University, England (1986) and a Bachelor Degree of Electrical Engineering- McGill University, Canada (1981). He is member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE).