Vodafone, Margherita Della Valle is the new CEO

No longer just an interim. Italian Margherita Della Valle has been appointed as the new CEO of the Vodafone group. “The board and I were impressed by his pace and his determination to initiate the necessary transformation of Vodafone – explains Jean-François van Boxmeer, president of the telecommunications giant -. Margherita has the full support of my advice and of her plans for Vodafone to provide a better customer experience, become a simpler company and accelerate growth ”.

Della Valle, 58, after graduating from Bocconi in Economics and Social Sciences and spending the first four years at Montedison, has built his entire career in the world of telephones. In 1994 he was among the first 25 employees of Omnitel, the company incorporated in 2001 by the British group. She climbs all the positions first in Italy, then globally where she becomes, we are in 2007, first financial director for Europe, then group controller in 2010 finally deputy financial director of the group, when in the command deck there is the Italian Vittorio Colao. And finally, in 2018, you become CFO, as the Anglo-Saxons indicate the position of who supervises the financial numbers of companies, when taking the place of Nick Read called to replace Colao at the helm of the group.

The big leap, however, takes place at the end of 2022 when, surprisingly, Read leaves the CEO chair in a complicated moment, in which Vodafone revises the forecasts. The task of running the group is up to her, who is entrusted with the interim while waiting to find the right person. And here we are in the last hours, when “after rigorous internal and external research”, as President Van Boxmeer says, she is the right person. She who, she says, is “honoured” by her appointment, to whom she will support the role of CFO until the right person to occupy the position is found. “Vodafone – explains Della Valle – has a unique positioning in Europe and Africa with a strong relationship with customers, networks and people”. Now, says the new global CEO, “to realize our potential, Vodafone needs to change. We know we can do better. My focus will be on improving service for our customers, simplifying our business and growing”.

His arrival also coincides with the return of the flame of the Iliad of the French entrepreneur Xavier Niel, who according to rumors relaunched by Bloomberg, would have revived the interest in acquiring parts of the group. A year ago Vodafone rejected Iliad’s offer to take over the Italian assets for more than 11 billion euros. Now he will return to office, but Niel will have to convince the new iron lady of London, a lady who speaks Italian.