Samer Bishay named Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Entrepreneur in 2020 by the RBC

Tuesday, September 15, 2020 (Toronto, Canada) - Samer Bishay, President and CEO of Iristel and Ice Wireless, is pleased to accept recognition as one of Canada’s top 25 named immigrant entrepreneurs in 2020 by the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). The award celebrates the inspiring achievements of Canadian business immigrants. 

Egyptian-born Canadian, Samer Bishay, has built one of Canada’s largest and fastest-growing telecommunications companies. Founded by Samer in 1999, Iristel operates facilities-based voice networks extending coast-to-coast-to-coast and operates internationally. For his industry and wider-community efforts, Samer is also recognized by the Canadian Armed Forces and holds the title of an Honorary Colonel of 34 Signal Regiment. 

“As a Canadian entrepreneur in the telecommunications industry, I am grateful to accept this award on behalf of my family and me. The Canadian-dream is available to anyone who can take the risk of starting a business and remaining committed to it over the long run. I chose to dedicate my life to helping other people connect through affordable and accessible telecommunications products and services. I am thankful to everyone who voted for me and for recognizing the great work we have done at Iristel and Ice Wireless.”

About the Award:

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven that we are all interconnected despite race, culture or country of origin. This award symbolizes diversity, resilience, and the importance of coming together as Canadians during challenging times. Hundreds of nominations were received, from which a panel of past recipients shortlisted 75 finalists. The 25 winners were chosen based on a combination of nationwide online voting and judge’s scores. The RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award winners, will receive a commemorative plaque and ceremonial gift package. Winners will also be featured online at www.canadianimmigrant.ca/rbctop25 and in the September print edition of Canadian Immigrant magazine. The awards program is supported by the Toronto Star, Metro, Omni, City TV and Sing Tao.

Facts About Iristel:

• Iristel is the largest privately-owned telecommunications company in Canada representing approximately 10% of the telecommunications market.
• Over 7 million Canadian subscribers rely on Iristel for a variety of collaboration and telecommunication needs under many household brands that Iristel enables exclusively on its infrastructure.
• Iristel provides competitive pricing and telecommunications services to specialized locations across Canada not covered by the three largest market companies.