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Vivek Badrinath to take charge of telco’s Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific operations as Serpil Timuray becomes strategy chief.
Vivek Badrinath will join Vodafone in the autumn as the new chief executive of its Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific (AMAP) business, when the current holder of the post is promoted to become the U.K.-based telco group’s strategy chief.
AMAP chief executive Serpil Timuray will become chief commercial operations and strategy officer on 15 October, Vodafone announced on Friday, replacing Paolo Bertoluzzo, who tendered his resignation two months ago.
Badrinath’s appointment is effective on the same date. He joins the company from AccorHotels, but has extensive experience in the telecoms sector, having held a number of senior positions at Orange over the past 20 years.
His career at Orange dates back to 1996, but he left the French telco in 2000 to take a job in India, only to return in 2004 as technical director in charge of mobile activities. He became CEO of Orange Business Services in 2010 and two years later was appointed deputy CEO of Orange and head of the telco’s innovation, marketing and technologies business. He moved on to Accor in 2014, handing over the reins to Mari-Noëlle Jégo-Laveissière.
He has also served on Nokia’s board of directors since 2014, but the Finnish firm on Friday announced he will step down immediately.
His new post will see him become part of Vodafone’s group executive committee and report to CEO Vittorio Colao.
Timuray will remain on the committee and will also report direct to Colao.
She has served as the mobile operator’s AMAP head since January 2014, having joined Vodafone in 2009 as chief executive of Vodafone Turkey.
"Serpil [Timuray] combines a deep background in brand, marketing and commercial strategies with proven operational leadership across the fastest-growing markets in Vodafone’s portfolio," Colao said, in a statement.
Meanwhile, "Vivek has extensive telecoms and technology leadership experience coupled with a strong track record in emerging markets," he added.
