All articles by Richard Agnew – Page 30
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M&ATPG puts feelers out for TowerCo deal
Australian JV conducting “preliminary market assessment” ahead of possible spin-off. Scope of monetisation would be limited by operator’s low level of site ownership. Competitors have already made moves.
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Suppliers & SCMSmart shopping: Vodafone now using bots for buying
Vodafone Procurement Company says new autonomous platform switched on in June. Focus on extended reach and efficiency in long-tail buying. System could ultimately handle end-to-end sourcing for quarter of spend, unit suggests. Pega and _VOIS on enabler team.
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Suppliers & SCMJob cuts coming as ISS works to solve DT deal losses
Manager of Group’s German facilities working through “long list” of restructuring measures, with aim to reach breakeven on flagship deal. Stage one complete as key IT milestone hit. Staff and subcontractor cutbacks coming as ISS seeks to squeeze out more costs.
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Partnerships & AlliancesTelecom Egypt to hold Vodafone to “strict” dividend deal
Executives of Vodafone’s Egyptian partner suggest new deal gives watertight dividend flow from their joint mobile business. Agreement creates path for Vodafone to do an internal switch of its Egyptian OpCo, following failed Saudi Telecom deal.
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M&AHöttges “ready” for Drahi tête-à-tête after BT raid
DT confirms Altice’s secretive acquisition of a large BT holding went unflagged. Group “open” to discussions and sees prospect of “exciting” developments towards end of 2021. DT accentuates lack of pressure to sell up, should Altice target its holding.
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Partnerships & AlliancesBT wants a billion pounds “minimum” from Microsoft deal
Microsoft beefs up its position within BT’s enterprise ecosystem with formation of an updated strategic partnership. BT aiming for a nine-figure revenue target from “complicated”, “big” deal. Software giant separately acquires BT spend-tracking partner Suplari.
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PeopleVodafone Carrier Services’ boss moves into key UK role
Vodafone Business lieutenant Nick Gliddon sent in to perform key UK enterprise mission. Move fills vacancy opened up by Anne Sheehan’s exit to Microsoft Ireland.
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M&AVantage back in shop window as Vodafone builds revival
M&A remains a lever to help Vodafone revive growth, says CEO Read. New Chairman van Boxmeer lighting a fire under Group strategy and ambition. Another chunk of Vantage could be sold off to “like-minded” partner. Hint made of some UK deal-making in pipeline. Egyptian and Spanish assets remain in ...
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Strategy & ChangeVodafone shuffles international partnership team
Oversight of Partner Markets federation shifts to Vinod Kumar’s Vodafone Business division. Move comes with Vodafone seeking platforms for margin-friendly B2B growth, to improve cash flow.
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Strategy & ChangeGroup Technology toes line on “new-gen” plan
Top-down flavour to Tech 2025 initiatives as Group Finance (again) steals a lot of the Group Technology thunder, keeping ambitions in check with fiscal targets. Programme kept closely in line with Group leadership’s medium-term, twin-track ambition to refuel its commercial engine while keeping a tight rein on investment. Headline ...
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Suppliers & SCMEricsson targets African gains on back of Vodafone reorg
Swedish vendor has been punching below weight within Vodafone’s African operations. Tech 2025 organisational changes and geopolitical flux could create openings to grow regional account.
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Strategy & ChangeVodacom to unify network and IT functions
Push for efficiencies encompassing rework of network and IT platforms, alongside major skills and capability upgrade. Following 2020 reorg, CEO Joosub concentrating heavily on extracting value and savings out of Group assets and operations. Programme likely to see cloud-based overhaul of Vodacom IT stacks and network functions.
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Strategy & ChangeVan Boxmeer gifted remit to disrupt Vodafone Board
Latest Board Evaluation calls for increased “liveliness” of conversations across the Group’s top table. Composition changes mooted for dozen-strong grouping brought together by former Chairman Gerard Kleisterlee. Start of TechCo strategy seen as moment to strengthen accountability of top duo Read and Della Valle.
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PremiumRejigged tie-up could find Vodafone Egypt a home
Vodafone secures route to in-Group transfer of Egypt stake in quid pro quo deal with local partner. Kenya-esque Vodacom hand-off of Egyptian interest one possibility.
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Strategy & ChangeDT on standby for 5G European Aviation Network add-on
Group open to a 5G upgrade on flagship European Aviation Network system. Execs see user demand for faster connectivity on planes. Vendor partner SkyFive working on 5G system in China. Airwave-dependent European update could be “some time” away, however.
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M&ADeutsche Telekom smart-buildings partner snapped up
2017 “strategic” investment offloaded by Group. Netherlands’ Planon to subsume Axonize’s IoT platform into wider facilities management product and services suite.
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OperationsAST SpaceMobile sets up UK arm
High-profile US startup establishing tech team in Leicester space hub. Move eases collaboration with Vodafone ahead of joint launch in Africa.
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OperationsVodafone banks on the Nile for flow of efficiencies
Group Annual Report sheds light on shared services transformation under the _VOIS division. Egypt emerges as the Group’s largest territory by headcount. CFO Della Valle points to _VOIS “role efficiencies” as it de-siloes, standardises, and harmonises operations.
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Financial & PerformanceDT’s top team drops €4m on shares
Leadership puts money where its mouth is following ambitious mid-term strategy update. German operator seeking to boost T-Share perceptions and align with T-Mobile US’ rising valuation.
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PremiumQ4 FY20–21: Vodacom turns to M&A to turbo-charge change
Fibre expansion back on as Vodacom steps up diversification plans. Operator negotiating potential strategic partnerships across infrastructure assets, as it develops own take on Vodafone’s leaner and lighter TechCo vision. South African group-within-a-group being offered greater freedom by Vodafone than increasingly tightly-controlled businesses in Europe. One question, as it ...