What’s the collective noun for a group of world-class telco consultants? A calling! 🤣
Ten years ago, in Dec 2015, a brand new mobile network operation from Reliance Industries Limited in India carried out a soft launch of their new service. They called it “Jio”, meaning “blessing” – and what a blessing it was for our merry band of 25 professionals in our respective fields, commissioned to design and build what would quickly become India’s largest mobile network – and the world’s third largest! 🇮🇳📱
Our skilled team of experienced specialists in Project Management, Business Analysis, IT know-how, HR best practice, cutting edge L&OD strategy, and a whole host of other talents, worked tirelessly for two years to get Jio ready for that launch. Clearly, it worked: Jio has now 500M+ subscribers – and the operational foundation stones date back to our input and close collaboration with our counterparts in Reliance. 🥳
We operated together on defining and implementing the practices and policies required for Jio to launch. Then we transferred know-how, upskilling their team to cascade the learning across India, before finally stepping back in the summer of 2015, watching to see what would unfold. 👀
It’s been an interesting decade for us all, as we’ve spread out again across the world and continued to hone our crafts; from the Nordics to Australia, Western UK to the Middle East, and to the Americas and back, our team continues on journeys of discovery and growth. 🌎🌍🌏
So, what better way to commemorate this 10 year milestone by congregating as many of us as could make it and have a mini reunion?! And that’s what several of us did – on the Friday before Xmas – in the heart of London – in what is now the UK’s oldest surviving Indian restaurant – The Punjab in Covent Garden. 🪯
We reminisced, exchanged anecdotes, updated each other on our journeys, broke (naan) bread together, and had a Thoroughly Smashing Time – and, of course, we celebrated the project that had brought us all together. We raised a glass to all who couldn’t make it – their presence missed, but their participation in spirit acknowledged. 🍻
Where will we be in 10 years from now? Nobody knows. But this week we marked the latest stage in our respective trips before melting into the night to contemplate, remember, and reflect. 🤩
Jio – a project, a mission, a success, a blessing. 🙏
Wishing you all a refreshing and recharging holiday season! 🎄🎁✨
The Team from Merchants & Dimension Data. 🤍
(Originally posted on my LinkedIn channel on 22.12.2025 here.)
