Changes to Mngt.Structure
Vodafone Group Plc
23 June 2003
23 June 2003
VODAFONE ANNOUNCES CREATION OF GROUP MARKETING
AND GROUP TECHNOLOGY FUNCTIONS
Vodafone Group Plc ('Vodafone' or 'the Company') today announces the creation of
two new central functions, Group Marketing and Group Technology & Business
Integration, together with changes to the structure and management of the
Group's regional operations.
Peter Bamford, currently CEO of the Company's Northern Europe, Middle East and
Africa Region and a director of the Company, will be responsible for Group
Marketing, as Chief Marketing Officer. Group Marketing will provide leadership
and co-ordination across the full range of marketing and commercial activities
including brand, product development, content management, partner networks and
global accounts.
Thomas Geitner, currently CEO Global Products and Services and a director of the
Company, will be head of Group Technology & Business Integration, as Chief
Technology Officer. The purpose of Group Technology will be to lead the
implementation of a standardised architecture for business processes,
information technology and network systems. This will support the next
generation of products and services and the critical role of introducing and
operating 3G capacity.
Peter Bamford and Thomas Geitner will report to Julian Horn-Smith, Group Chief
Operating Officer.
As a result of the creation of Group Marketing and Group Technology & Business
Integration functions, there will be some changes to the Regional management
structure of the Group.
Jurgen von Kuczkowski will become Chief Executive of the Northern Europe Region,
based in Dusseldorf. This region will include the Company's operating companies
and interests in Germany, Netherlands, France, Belgium, Sweden, Hungary, Poland
and Switzerland.
Vittorio Colao, currently CEO of the Southern Europe Region and a director of
the Company, will be Chief Executive of the Southern Europe, Middle East and
Africa Region, based in Milan. This region will include Vodafone's operating
companies and interests in Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Romania, Malta, South
Africa, Egypt and Kenya.
Peter Bamford will continue to have responsibility for the operating companies
in the UK and Ireland and Thomas Geitner will continue to have responsibility
for Arcor, the fixed line business in Germany.
Commenting on the changes, Sir Christopher Gent, Chief Executive, stated: 'One
of our key objectives is to use the scale and scope of Vodafone's business to
provide clear benefits which differentiate our service to customers. To achieve
this objective we need increasingly to integrate our operational activities. In
the last two years very considerable progress has been made in the establishment
of a global brand and the development of new products and services, as was
demonstrated by the launch of Vodafone live! and Vodafone Mobile Office. It is
now time to move to the next stage of the evolution towards a highly customer
focused and operationally efficient business providing the best products and
services across the greatest number of markets when compared to our competitors.
The creation of central Marketing and Technology & Business Integration
functions, led by Peter Bamford and Thomas Geitner, will enable Vodafone to
maintain its leadership at a time of change in our industry.'
These changes will all take place with effect from 1 July 2003. Vodafone Group's
financial reporting will reflect the new regional structure.
- ends -
For further information:
Vodafone Group
Tim Brown, Group Corporate Affairs Director
Tel: +44 (0) 1635 673310
Investor Relations
Melissa Stimpson
Darren Jones
Tel: +44 (0) 1635 673310
Media Relations
Bobby Leach
Ben Padovan
Tel: +44 (0) 1635 673310
Tavistock Communications
Lulu Bridges
Justin Griffiths
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7600 2288
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange