SMART declared the Most Innovative Company of the Year at the 2012 Asia CEO Awards

Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) was named the Most Innovative Company of the Year at the 2012 Asia CEO Awards, for introducing groundbreaking services that have contributed to national development. Smart was one of only 10 recipients of the Asia CEO Awards, which recognizes the most accomplished leadership teams and individuals operating in the Philippines and the region. The telco was also a finalist in the Technology Leadership Team of the Year category.

Smart revolutionized the telecommunications industry by launching world-first innovations like Smart Money, an electronic payment card linked to a mobile phone; Smart Load which enables over-the-air cellular airtime reloads; Smart Padala, a secure, fast, and cheap way of remitting money using Smart mobile phones; the Netphone, the first smartphone backed by an operator-managed platform called SmartNet; and Smart LTE, the world’s first multiband Long Term Evolution service.

“We thank the Asia CEO Awards for recognizing Smart’s commitment in pushing innovation. This award will inspire us even more to continue democratizing the benefits of technology down to the grassroots,” said Smart Chief Wireless Advisor Orlando Vea.

Smart’s nation-building efforts include its Internet-for-All advocacy, financial inclusion initiatives using mobile money, a mobile health system called SHINE (Secured Health Information Network and Exchange), and disaster response projects.

“Smart’s pursuit of innovation is anchored on our goal to enable our 52 million subscribers to ‘Live More.’ Each of our products, services, and programs was designed to enhance the way Filipinos live and communicate,” said Emmanuel Lorenzana, Smart executive vice president and head of wireless consumer division.

The Asia CEO award is one of the latest additions to Smart’s long list of local and international awards. The telco has been recognized as back-to-back Operator of the Year at the Asia Communication Awards (Singapore) and Best Emerging Market Carrier at the Telecoms Asia Awards (Bangkok). It was recently declared Company of the Year at the 11th Philippine Quill Awards.

The Netphone received the Best Innovation Award at the 2012 Asia Communication Awards. SHINE has been recognized as Best Community Telecom Project at Telecom Asia and as Best Emerging Market Initiative at the 2012 Asia Communication Awards. SHINE has also been named as one of the country’s Top Ten health programs by Health Market Innovations in the Philippines (HMIP).

And for the second straight year, Smart Money was named Best Operator-Led Mobile Money Programme at the recent Connected World Forum Awards in Dubai.

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