Sanmeet Singh Kochhar, Vice President for Europe, Asia, Middle East & Africa at HMD, says the company is accelerating its MEA growth through expanded local manufacturing in Egypt, deeper retail and operator partnerships, and the rapid scaling of its Softlock micro‑financing platform to make device ownership more accessible across the region.
HMD has been steadily building its own identity alongside Nokia. What drove the introduction of the HMD‑branded smartphone portfolio, and how do the two brands complement each other?
HMD’s foundation is built on Nokia’s trusted heritage, but today’s consumers relate to technology in far more diverse ways. Introducing a dedicated HMD‑branded portfolio allows us to expand choice and redefine expectations. It gives us creative freedom to move faster, shape our own design language, and pursue collaborations — including our Barbie‑inspired flip phone with Mattel.
This isn’t a shift away from Nokia; it’s a complementary strategy. The two portfolios serve different needs but share the same philosophy of purposeful, reliable technology. Together, they allow us to bring the right product to the right market at the right moment.
How does your dual‑brand strategy differentiate audiences, positioning, and long‑term roadmaps for HMD and Nokia devices?
Our multi‑brand model is a deliberate, market‑driven evolution. Running HMD and Nokia side‑by‑side gives consumers more control over how they engage with technology. Each brand targets distinct segments, enabling us to act with greater agility and precision.
Across both portfolios, we design with purpose: reliable devices with strong value, connectivity and AI access for underserved communities, hybrid innovation, and secure technology for professionals. This dual approach ensures we deliver the right product to the right place at the right time.
How do you assess the global and MEA mobile landscape, and where do you see the strongest growth opportunities?
Globally, growth no longer comes from first‑time smartphone adoption. Mature markets are driven by replacement cycles and value expansion. In Africa and parts of the Middle East, first‑time connectivity remains a major opportunity.
Across our region, I see three consistent growth pockets. First, the transient and migrant workforce segment, which is highly dynamic and consistently drives device replacement. Second, enterprise and secure devices, as both public and private sector organisations accelerate digital transformation and demand greater device control. And third, the ecosystem opportunity: accessories, wearables and connected services that extend the value of a device well beyond the point of sale.
In a region as diverse as ours, from the digital-first pace of the UAE, to youth-driven creativity in Saudi Arabia, to the entrepreneurship we see across Africa, growth increasingly comes from building the right value around a device, not just selling more of them.
Feature phones remain strong in Africa and parts of the Middle East. What role do they play in HMD’s strategy, and will the segment stay relevant?
Feature phones are a core pillar of our business, not a legacy category. We serve two audiences: users who rely on feature phones as their primary device, and a growing group choosing them deliberately for simplicity or digital detox.
Our Better Phone Project, surveying over 37,000 parents and children, revealed a clear tension: families want safety through connectivity but also want controlled digital exposure. Devices like the HMD 101 4G and 102 4G address this need.
Looking ahead, the segment won’t fade — it will evolve. Smart feature phones will introduce video calling, AI assistance, and digital wallets to a category once defined by limitations. That’s where much of our innovation energy is focused.
What are HMD’s strategic priorities in the Middle East and Africa, and how are you strengthening partnerships to accelerate growth?
The UAE and GCC are central to our growth roadmap. We demonstrate that through investment sequencing — launching accessories, HMD DUB, and our first smartwatches (Watch X1 and P1) in the UAE and Saudi Arabia before global rollout.
Our regional priorities centre on building a faster, more resilient, and more accessible ecosystem. Local manufacturing is a major pillar, with Egypt positioned as a strategic hub targeting 2 million locally produced devices in 2026, enabling quicker response to regional demand. At the same time, the company is strengthening retail and operator partnerships to ensure that its smartphones, feature phones, and accessories are available wherever consumers shop across the Middle East and Africa. Complementing these efforts is the expansion of Softlock, HMD’s micro‑financing platform, which already supports millions of users globally and is seeing strong regional uptake as instalment‑based purchasing becomes a preferred path to device ownership.
What can consumers and channel partners expect from HMD in the coming months?
The most exciting area is smart feature phones — a category that will bring AI to millions through affordability and simplicity. This represents a new way to think about AI adoption.
On the enterprise side, HMD Ivalo strengthens our secure device offering as governments and businesses advance digital transformation. On the lifestyle front, our DUB audio range and smartwatches will expand into more markets.
Across all categories, the common thread is practical, purposeful technology.
Many manufacturers are expanding into connected ecosystems. How is HMD approaching adjacent categories?
We’re expanding selectively. Whether audio, wearables, or secure enterprise devices, our test is simple: does the category allow us to extend our core philosophy of purposeful design and real value?
We won’t chase every trend. Instead, we’re building an ecosystem around the person — connectivity, audio, wearables, and security that work together and reflect the same values. Over time, that’s more meaningful than any single flagship device.
As AI, sustainability, wellbeing, and longevity reshape expectations, where do you see HMD in the next 2–3 years?
The future won’t be defined by who has the most powerful device, but by who builds technology people can trust. Sustainability is central — our Ecovadis Platinum Award for four consecutive years places us in the top 1% globally, driven by self‑repairable phones, extended software support, and longer device lifecycles.
Our AI focus is inclusive: bringing AI assistance to feature phones, not just premium flagships. Digital wellbeing continues to shape our design philosophy through staged digital access for families.
Ultimately, we want HMD to be seen as a brand that puts people ahead of specifications — technology that respects time, budget, and family, wherever you are in the world.
