VEON’s Cloud & Cybersecurity Platform Garaj Signs with Standard Chartered Bank in Pakistan

Amsterdam, Dubai, and Islamabad, 07 November 2024 – VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON, Euronext Amsterdam: VEON), a global digital operator, today announces that Garaj, the enterprise solutions business of its Pakistan digital operator Jazz, will assist in setting up a regional availability zone for Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), one of the world's leading banks. Garaj aims to strengthen Standard Chartered Bank's operational resilience and enhance its customer experience across multiple regions, reinforcing Standard Chartered Bank's commitment to digital transformation and efficient global data center operations.

Garaj’s advanced Tier 3 Data Center, which adheres to Global TIA-942 standards, will host Standard Chartered Bank’s core IT and banking systems within Pakistan, providing high availability and secure data management. Garaj will provide Standard Chartered Bank with disaster recovery data center services, robust backup and continuity systems, safeguarding SCB’s banking operations and improving customer experience.

The agreement also includes 24/7 operational support from Garaj, featuring a dedicated Network Operations Center (NOC), and a helpdesk staffed by certified engineers. The partnership aims to provide high system uptime, enabling Standard Chartered Bank to maintain business continuity and enhance customer satisfaction through seamless service.

Asif Aziz, President of Enterprise Solutions at Jazz Business, commented on the collaboration, “Our partnership with Standard Chartered Bank is expected to enhance operational resilience and ensure secure, uninterrupted services for its customers. Our critical infrastructure and advanced cybersecurity solutions provide a robust foundation for our customers in financial services and underscore our commitment to reliability and innovation.”

Rehan Shaikh, Chief Executive Officer Standard Chartered Pakistan stated, “This strategic partnership strengthens the Bank’s technology infrastructure and advances our digital thought leadership. By leveraging Garaj’s state-of-the-art purpose-built data center, we are reinforcing our commitment to providing secure, robust, seamless, and accessible digital banking solutions to our customers. This alliance represents a significant step forward in our mission to accelerate digital transformation, remain agile, and contribute towards a more inclusive financial landscape in Pakistan.”

Garaj has over 400 enterprise customers and offers comprehensive IT and IT-enabled solutions, including cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, and managed services. It operates two cloud availability zones with a strong focus on data residency, ensuring critical data remains within the country. Earlier this year, Garaj also achieved Premier Partner status with VMware and strengthened its position as an Operator Cloud Solution Provider with Microsoft, delivering scalability and resilience for business-critical infrastructure.

Jazz’s enterprise vertical, which includes Garaj, serves 98 of the 100 top Pakistan Stock Exchange listed companies. In line with VEON’s digital operator strategy, which aims to deliver growth by offering individuals and enterprises a portfolio of connected digital services, Jazz aims to continue to expand its cloud services and IT solutions, scaling up its enterprise business beyond Pakistan.

About Jazz
Jazz is Pakistan’s leading digital operator with over 71.4 million cellular subscribers and 63.3 million MAUs of digital services. Jazz offers the most extensive portfolio of digital services including JazzCash, Pakistan’s leading fintech; Garaj, the largest onshore cloud and cybersecurity platform; and Tamasha, Pakistan’s largest homegrown OTT video streaming and entertainment platform.

About VEON
VEON is a digital operator that provides converged connectivity and digital services to nearly 160 million customers. Operating across six countries that are home to more than 7% of the world’s population, VEON is transforming lives through technology-driven services that empower individuals and drive economic growth. VEON is listed on Nasdaq and Euronext. For more information visit: https://www.veon.com.

Disclaimer
This release contains “forward-looking statements,” as the phrase is defined in Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and include statements relating to, among other things, VEON’s digital products and commercial plans. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which VEON cannot predict with accuracy and some of which VEON might not anticipate. The forward-looking statements contained in this release speak only as of the date of this release. VEON does not undertake to publicly update, except as required by U.S. federal securities laws, any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after such dates or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Contact Information
VEON
Hande Asik
Group Director of Communications
pr@veon.com

MHP Group
Julian Tanner
Julian.tanner@mhpgroup.com

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