Ralph Yirikian
Photo: Vahe Isahakyan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons12

Ralph Yirikian

Armenian businessman

Ralph Yirikian (Armenian: Ռալֆ Յիրիկյան; born November 16, 1967) is an Armenian businessman who is the current General Director of Ucom, and was formerly the General Director of VivaCell-MTS (MTS Armenia CJSC), a 2005 startup company which became Armenia's leading telecommunications operator and one of the top taxpayers. As reported, he left the company in 2022 to concentrate on his own business.2

From Wikipedia’s article on Ralph Yirikian (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Born Nov 16, 1967.1

Companies

Early life and education

  • Date not recordedAmerican University of Beirut3

Ralph Yirikian was born on November 16, 1967, in Beirut, Lebanon. With his younger twin brothers and sister, he grew up in Beirut. He grew up during the Lebanese Civil War.

Yirikian graduated from the American University of Beirut with a bachelor's degree in economics in 1991. In 1992, he received a second bachelor's degree from the university, this time in business administration.

From Wikipedia’s article on Ralph Yirikian (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Career

Occupation: businessperson.6

From 1991 to 1992, Yirikian worked at AUB's Jafet Library as an assistant in the Archiving and Documentation Department, and later as a computer operator at the Lebanese George Matta Establishment. In 1993, he worked as an executive secretary of Al Maha Group Holdings in Qatar, and as an assistant management consultant at Nasser, Ghattas and Co, in Cyprus.

From 1994 to 1996, Yirikian was the Head of the Administration and Personnel Department at Al Maha Group Holdings. From 1997 to 1999, he was the head of the Administration and Customer Service Department at Nasser, Ghattas and Co. Between 1999 and 2001, Yirikian was the head of the Administrative Unit at the Lebanese telecommunications company LibanCell. From February 2002 till July 2004, he was the General Manager of Karabakh Telecom.

General Director at VivaCell-MTS

Ralph Yirikian was the VivaCell-MTS General Manager, from November 2004 to June 2022.

VivaCell grew quickly and in 2007, the company's only shareholder, Fattouch Group, agreed to sell 80% of its shares to Mobile TeleSystems PJSC (MTS), the largest mobile operator in the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Russian Federation. As of today, VivaCell-MTS (MTS Armenia CJSC) shareholders are 80% MTS Group (Mobile TeleSystems PJSC) and 20% - Lebanese Fattouche Group. Yirikian stayed as the General Manager of VivaCell-MTS after the acquisition by MTS. He oversaw the company's rollout of the country's first 3G network based on UMTS/HSPA (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System / High Speed Packet Access) technology in Armenia. On December 20, 2010, VivaCell-MTS launched the first 4G/LTE network in Armenia.

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New culture of management

Yirikian described his management style as one in which he urged his employees to take responsibility and make their own decisions.

General Director of Ucom

In March 2023, Yirikian was appointed the General Director of Ucom.

From Wikipedia’s article on Ralph Yirikian (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Personal life

  • BornNov 16, 1967, Beirut7
  • CitizenshipArmenia, Lebanon8

Ralph Yirikian is married and has one daughter and one son.

From Wikipedia’s article on Ralph Yirikian (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Awards

  • 2017Order For Merit to the Fatherland - 2nd degree9
  • Date not recordedGaregin Nzhdeh medal9
  • Date not recordedGold medal from the Ministry of Culture of Armenia9
  • Date not recordedKhorenatsi medal9
  • Date not recordedOrder "For Merit to the Fatherland"9
  • Date not recordedOrder of the Badge of Honour9
  • Date not recordedZhukov Medal9

Sources

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