Vodafone has poached Tata Communications chief executive Vinod Kumar to head up its global business division.
The company had been searching for a candidate since the turn of the year when former Vodafone Business CEO Brian Humphries announced he was leaving for another position.
Vodafone’s Rest of World CEO Vivek Badrinath has performed the role on a temporary basis since March in a bid to ensure a smooth transition but will revert to his day job from September.
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Vodafone Business CEO
Kumar will report directly to Group CEO Nick Read and spearhead the Newbury-based operator’s global business operations at a time when it is launching 5G mobile networks around the world.
The appointment marks the end of a 15-year association between Kumar and Indian giant Tata, which he joined as Chief Operating Officer in 2004 and became CEO in 2011. He has previously served at Asia Netcom, WorldCom, Global One and Sprint International.
“I am very excited to join the vibrant team at Vodafone Business,” said Kumar. “The global reach, the pervasive network and the brand loyalty that Vodafone has created makes it an ideal partner for any organisation's digital transformation, regardless of size or industry.”
“Vinod is a very experienced business leader with a breadth of experience from across the globe,” added Read. “He is a great addition to Vodafone and the Executive Committee.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Vivek for his support this year in acting as Interim CEO.”
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