Vodafone’s Humm to quit in European management restructure

Phlipp Humm

Vodafone Europe CEO Phlipp Humm is to leave the group as part of a wider restructuring its European management organisation, with chiefs of the four largest European markets to report direct to Vodafone CEO Vittorio Colao.

Effective from October 1, Hannes Ametsreiter in Germany, Aldo Bisio in Italy, Jeroen Hoencamp in the UK and Antonio Coimbra in Spain will become members of the group executive committee and will report directly to Colao.

Vodafone Netherlands CEO Rob Shuter will also join the executive committee and will assume additional leadership responsibilities for Vodafone’s smaller European markets.

Corporate functions operating at regional level in Europe will be integrated within the respective Group functions. There are no changes to the leadership structure for the Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific region.

“These changes will simplify and streamline the management of our largest European markets and accelerate our strategic plans in those countries as convergence gathers pace and our Project Spring organic investment programme and focus on efficiency deliver visible results,” said Colao.

“I would like to thank Philipp for his significant contribution to Vodafone including leading the recovery in our European businesses and the strategic acquisition and integration of large fixed-line businesses in the UK, Spain and Germany. I fully understand his desire to pursue his career ambitions outside Vodafone in light of the new organisation and wish him all the best for the future.”

Reports in the Financial Times and Telegraph newspapers cited sources close to the group as denying that the restructure had any connection with Vodafone’s discussion of a possible asset swap or merger with cable giant Liberty Global.