Regulatory News:
Vivendi (Paris:VIV) announced today the appointment of Michel Combes as Chairman and CEO of SFR and a member of the Vivendi Management Board.
Michel Combes is currently Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone Europe and a Board member of Vodafone PLC. During his career, he has held the positions of Chairman and CEO of TDF and Chief Financial Officer of France Télécom. Michel Combes is a graduate of the prestigious Ecole Polytechnique and the Paris Telecoms School.
Commenting on this appointment, Jean-Bernard Lévy, Chairman of the Vivendi Management Board, stated: "We are very happy that Michel Combes has agreed to come on board to run SFR. His international management experience and his extensive knowledge of the telecoms sector will prove most valuable to lead the company in the challenges it faces. We have total confidence in his ability to mobilize the SFR teams and to build with them a successful future for the company."
Michel Combes added: "I am very happy to be joining Vivendi and SFR. I have known the Group for many years and I am fully aware of both its potential and the quality of its teams, while recognizing the challenges ahead."
Jean-Bernard Lévy will continue as Chairman and CEO of SFR until the 1st August, the scheduled date for Michel Combes' arrival.
About Vivendi
The best emotions, digitally
Vivendi is at the heart of the worlds of content, platforms and interactive networks.
Vivendi combines the world leader in video games (Activision Blizzard), the world leader in music (Universal Music Group), the French leader in alternative telecoms (SFR), the Moroccan leader in telecoms (Maroc Telecom Group), the leading alternative broadband operator in Brazil (GVT) and the French leader in pay-TV (Canal+ Group).
In 2011, Vivendi achieved revenues of €28.8 billion and adjusted net income of €2.95 billion. The Group has over 58,300 employees. www.vivendi.com
Michel Combes biography
Michel Combes has been Chief Executive Officer, Europe Region, of Vodafone since October 2008 and was appointed to the Board in June 2009.
He began his career at France Télécom in 1986 in the External Networks Division, and then moved to the Industrial and International Affairs Division.
After being technical advisor to the French Minister of Transportation from 1991 to 1995, he served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GlobeCast from 1995 to 1999.
He was Executive Vice President of Nouvelles Frontières Group from December 1999 until the end of 2001 when he moved to the position of Chief Executive Officer of Assystem-Brime, a company specializing in industrial engineering.
He returned to France Telecom Group in January 2003 as Senior Vice President of Group Finance and Chief Financial Officer. Until January 2006, he was Senior Executive Vice President, in charge of NExT Financial Balance & Value Creation and a member of the France Telecom Group Strategic Committee. From 2006 to 2008, he was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TDF Group.
Michel Combes is Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Assystem SA in France and serves as a non-Executive director on the boards of ISS Equity A/S, ISS Holding A/S and ISS A/S.
(Pictures available upon request)
Contacts:
Vivendi
