Vodafone India’s chief executive Marten Pieters will be handing charge to Sunil Sood, the company’s chief operating officer at the beginning of the next financial year, said a company press statement.
Pieters, who is the only CEO to have seen all the Indian spectrum auctions so far, will retain a non-executive role on the company’s board.
Marten Pieters was appointed as Vodafone India Managing Director and Chief Executive in February 2009. Prior to this he was on boards of KPN, Celtel and Millicom.
Under his leadership, Vodafone India doubled revenues, added more than 100 million customers, increased market share and launched data services used by more than 57 million customers. The longest-serving Chief Executive of an Indian telecommunications company, he has led Vodafone India’s participation in all spectrum auctions since 2009. Pieters was appointed as the Chairman of the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) in 2014.
Marten Pieters will be succeeded as Vodafone India Managing Director and Chief Executive by Sunil Sood. Sood is currently the Vodafone India Chief Operating Officer. He is responsible for day-to-day operations and P&L management together with new business development initiatives including the launch and expansion of mobile commerce activities. Sood joined Vodafone India’s predecessor business, Hutch, in 2000 and has held roles leading the company’s operations in Gujarat, Kolkata and Chennai. He had previously worked for Pepsi in a range of Indian and international leadership roles. Sood graduated with a B Tech from IIT (Delhi) and PGDM from IIM (Kolkata) and is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.
The Chairman of the Board of Vodafone India, Analjit Singh, said: “Marten’s term as Chief Executive has been marked by outstanding business performance and exemplary leadership in a highly complex sector and operating environment. He is to be commended for his many achievements and hands on to his highly experienced and respected successor the stewardship of a substantial enterprise serving the needs of 174 million customers. Sunil has extensive operating experience and knows Vodafone India from within. He is therefore a great choice to grow and expand the business and I look forward to a successful transition.”
Vodafone Group Chief Executive for the Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific region, Serpil Timuray, said: “Marten has successfully led Vodafone India through a period of rapid evolution, establishing the business at the forefront of Vodafone Group’s international portfolio while building strong organisational capabilities for the future. He has made an immense contribution to Vodafone over the last six years. The business will remain in good hands with Sunil who has also been integral to the growth of the company and the development of its capabilities, helping to drive consistent results through both good and challenging years.”
