The entry into the Telecommunications, Media and Information Technology sector in the 1980s, with the setting up of Emtel Ltd, marked a clear shift from traditional trading activities but in line with CJ’s innovative and entrepreneurial culture. CJ continues to strengthen its position and today the company is a key private-sector operator in the telecommunications field.

The flagship in this cluster is Emtel Ltd, launched in 1989 in partnership with Millicom. Emtel was the first mobile telephone operator in Mauritius and indeed in the Southern Hemisphere. Since then the company has emerged as a national provider of mobile phone services, including ILD, 3G and GPRS data services and the latest addition, Blackberry.

Currimjee Jeewanjee (through Emtel) was also the founder member of the pioneer GSM mobile phone company in Delhi (India), Bharti Cellular Ltd, in 1994. Subsequently, Currimjee Jeewanjee & Co Ltd (CJ), in conjunction with Bharti, set up a mobile, fixed line and international service operation in The Seychelles through Seychelles Telecom under the Airtel brand name.

The Information Technology Business Unit was set up in the late 1980s, when CJ first represented manufacturers like the Digital Equipment Corporation, and designed and produced IT solutions for companies operating in the private and public sectors. In 2005, the unit became a separate company, Currimjee Informatics Ltd.

CJ also took advantage of media liberalisation policies with the setting up of MC Vision, a Satellite Pay-TV company in June 1999, in collaboration with Canal + of France.

In 2005, responding to the prevailing shortage of trained human resources, CJ set up e-Skills Ltd, which builds on more than 15 years of HRM experience and offers a range of computer-based HRD solutions.

The latest member of this cluster is Multi Contact Ltd (a subsidiary of CJ and MCVision Ltd), set up to act as a call centre and Business Process Outsourcing unit, servicing MCVision and Media Overseas (the operators of Canal+ internationally) and other local and international organisations.

Today, the Telecommunications, Media and IT is the fastest growing cluster and the individual business units are investing heavily in their core competencies, mutually supporting one another and making optimum use of the resulting synergies.

Currimjee Jeewanjee & Co Ltd is today contributing to the drive to position Mauritius as an active player in the technology field, in line with Government strategy for the sector.