Phillips chief Gerard Kleisterlee will leave current position to take up Vodafone post on April 1
Vodafone has appointed Phillips chief executive and president Gerard Kleisterlee as its new chairman, replacing Sir John Bond who will retire in July.
Kliesterlee will retire from his position at Phillips which he has held since 2001 on March 31 and begin his new role with Vodafone on April 1.
He will be appointed as a non-executive director at Vodafone.
Vodafone chief executive Vittorio Colao said: “Today’s announcement is the culmination of a succession planning process which the Board initiated in February 2010.
“I am delighted to announce that Gerard Kleisterlee, a highly successful international businessman whose track record at Philips speaks for itself, will be succeeding me as Chairman after my six years on the Board of Vodafone.”
Colao paid tribute to Bond’s tenure at the group.
“On behalf of the board and everyone at Vodafone I would like to pay tribute to Sir John for his huge contribution to the Company throughout his tenure as Chairman,” he said.
“We have been fortunate to have benefited from his leadership, experience and wise counsel in a time of evolution for Vodafone.
“I personally am very grateful to him for his constant support and personal advice since becoming CEO, during a phase of extraordinary economic and industry changes.”
Kleisterlee said: “It is an honour and a privilege to be invited by the Board of Vodafone to become its Chairman.
“I am looking forward greatly to this new challenge, to contributing to this company’s record of success, and to building on Sir John’s outstanding achievements.”
