Vodafone Group plc named a new financial director from a familiar place and announced board changes and a new organizational structure that the international wireless provider said would enable continued improvement in the delivery of its strategic goals.
The company reported that Andrew Halford, current Verizon Wireless vice president and chief financial officer, would succeed Ken Hydon as Vodafone’s financial director when Hydon retires July 26, 2005. Halford will remain at his position at Verizon Wireless, in which Vodafone controls a 45-percent interest, until the end of this year. Vodafone said Verizon Communications Inc., which controls the remaining 55 percent of Verizon Wireless, and Vodafone would work together to name a successor.
“Andy Halford has played a key role on the Verizon Wireless management team that has delivered industry-leading performance over the past two-years,” said Denny Strigl, president and chief executive officer of Verizon Wireless. “We look forward to continuing to benefit from his contribution and working with him in his new assignment at Vodafone.”
Vodafone said the new organizational structure would include simplifying its existing regional structure with major countries and business areas reporting into the company’s chief executive Arun Sarin. All first-line management functions in the operating companies will have a dual reporting line to the respective functions at group level.
“We are creating an organization that is better positioned to respond to the high expectations of our customers,” Sarin explained. “Faster execution will enable us to extend our lead within the mobile industry and deliver the benefits to our customers, our employees and our shareholders.”
