Somchai Lertsutiwong took over as chief executive of the country's biggest mobile operator Advanced Info Service Plc (AIS) in 2010. He did so with the goal of turning the telecom company into a digital life service provider.
He is a leader who wants to apply technology and innovation to transform the company and support social and community development.
Mr Somchai's ambition is to see Thailand develop its technology sphere to be on a par with global standards. All the company's operations have been conducted in a framework of good ethics and governance throughout his 23 years at AIS.
Under his leadership, AIS has not emerged an expert in mobile business but also works to develop itself and meet the needs of customers.
Apart from mobile services, which continue to be augmented, investment has been pumped into fixed broadband and various digital services.
Mr Somchai also focuses on developing the company's human resources as a key priority, as past successes cannot guarantee the future.
He has dedicated himself to human resource development by reskilling employees with new expertise in different kinds of business.
AIS has also formed partnerships in every industrial sector to improve the public's quality of life and enhance the business sector's potential.
Three core philosophies guide his work and personal life: "Work hard, be honest, and develop yourself."
Under the leadership of Mr Somchai, AIS's operations have been successful in three key areas.
The first involves digital infrastructure expansion. AIS holds the most spectrum, currently totalling 1420 megahertz.
AIS also has the most subscribers, over 43.2 million as of June 2021, a 46% market share. Signal coverage extends to 98% of the population. It was the first mobile company to expand its 5G network into all 77 provinces, and now has more than 1 million fifth-generation users.
AIS's fibre high-speed home internet began in 2015, and was the first such service to use the latest technology, covering all 77 provinces, with a maximum bandwidth of 1 Gbps and over 1.54 million users.
Its digital services offer a full suite of experiences for digital lifestyles, on top of basic infrastructure such as mobile phone and high-speed home internet.
The second area involves sustainable development. Mr Somchai has given priority to business operations grounded in a concept of sustainability, and in particular providing digital infrastructure to support sustainability for everyone.
Several programmes were achieved through sustainable development such as AIS Aunjai Cyber, aimed at raising cyber awareness and immunity and promoting smart digital skills through online lessons for young people.
Additionally, the company's "Thais say no to e-waste" programme is aimed at instilling awareness among Thais to help conserve the environment by disposing of electronic waste according to international standards.
With such dedication, AIS has been selected and ranked in both national and international indices of sustainability. These rankings include the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, both the World Index and Emerging Market Index for 2020 in the telecom sector, for two consecutive years. AIS has also been awarded the Sustainability Awards Silver Class 2021 FTSE4Good Emerging Index, for the sixth consecutive year.
Finally, AIS has put a great deal of effort into helping society during the pandemic. Mr Somchai has been leveraging the potential of technology and telecom systems under the concept "Connecting and Assisting Thais". The company has supported the public health system and has helped Thais dealing with the pandemic by assisting society by supporting communications networks; assisting customers and partners; and assisting employees.
For example, AIS supports communications networks for hospitals and field hospitals which are treating Covid-19 patients in 110 locations across the country. It has also developed features on the Aor Sor Mor online app as a tool for village health volunteers to screen and monitor the Covid-19 risk groups in the community.