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Board members including deputy chairman ask to be relieved from their duties.
Telenor said three members of its board of directors, including its deputy chairman, have asked to be relieved of their duties, marking further high-profile departures from the Norway-based operator.
In a stock market filing, the company said it had received the requests from deputy chairman Frank Dangeard and board members Marit Vaagen and Burckhard Bergmann. Jacob Aqraou and Siri Beate Hatlen have already been put forward to succeed Dangeard and Vaagen.
Telenor did not link the resignations to its handling of the Vimpelcom corruption case — which has already caused considerable fallout at the Norwegian operator. The requests come less than two weeks after Telenor received Deloitte’s final report into its handling of the Vimpelcom corruption case and two days before the company’s meeting to elect new board members.
Chief financial officer Richard Olav Aa and general counsel Pål Wien Espen have already previously resigned their positions on receipt of Deloitte’s final report.
At the time, the Norwegian incumbent was quick to point out that the report does not show any evidence that Telenor employees were involved in "corrupt actions or any other legal offences," but admitted it does uncover "internal weaknesses" at the company.
Telenor hired Deloitte to review its handling of its Vimpelcom stake about six months ago, as the ongoing Dutch and U.S. investigations into the Russian operator and its activities in Uzbekistan intensified.
Earlier this year, Vimpelcom admitted certain violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and relevant Dutch laws and reached settlements with the relevant authorities totalling US$795 million. It committed to a series of measures to boost integrity within the company, including strengthening its internal controls and compliance programme.
With Deloitte having now completed its report, Telenor can focus on the sale of its 33% stake in Vimpelcom. Bloomberg reported last week that it has hired JPMorgan Chase & Co. to explore the sale.
