Press release
Paris, 19 May 2026
Orange's Combined Shareholders' Meeting: voting results and appointment of Frédéric Sanchez as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors
The Combined Shareholders' Meeting of Orange was held on 19 May 2026 in Paris. The meeting was chaired by Jacques Aschenbroich, Chairman of the Board of Directors, and was attended by Christel Heydemann, Chief Executive Officer, and the Board of Directors.
This annual meeting was an opportunity to highlight the work accomplished by Orange's teams, to present the strong 2025 results and to recall the launch, at the beginning of 2026, of the new strategic plan "Trust the future", which is anchored in strong convictions and built on the success of "Lead the future". This previous plan enabled Orange to strengthen its position as a leader in telecommunications in Europe and across all its markets. The key role of Jacques Aschenbroich as Chairman of the Board of Directors, whose term was coming to an end, was acknowledged, as well as his continued commitment to the Group.
Voting Results
All resolutions recommended by the Board of Directors were voted on and approved by the shareholders. Regarding the implementation of the "Women on Boards" directive for directors representing employees, the Shareholders' Meeting voted to end the term of Mr. Sébastien Crozier, resulting in the vacancy of his position and his replacement by his substitute, Ms. Hélène Marcy, as a director representing employees. Additionally, the renewal of the terms of two independent directors, Jacques Aschenbroich and Valérie Beaulieu, was approved for a duration of four years.
Appointment of Frédéric Sanchez as Non-Executive Chairman
Following the Shareholders' Meeting, and in accordance with its decision on 20 March 2026, the Board of Directors confirmed Mr. Frédéric Sanchez as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the remaining duration of his term as a director at the Chief Executive Officer, Christel Heydemann's side. His director's mandate runs until the end of the Shareholders' Meeting that will be held to approve the accounts for the fiscal year ending 31 December 2027. Frédéric Sanchez remains Chairman of the unlisted Fives group.
Frédéric Sanchez expressed his gratitude to Jacques Aschenbroich for his exemplary commitment to the Group throughout his term.
The detailed results of the votes will be available on the Group's website from the evening of 20 May: https://www.orange.com/en/annual-shareholders-meeting
About Orange
Orange is one of the world's leading telecommunications operators. The Group aims to be the trusted partner for everyday digital life by providing individuals, businesses and communities with reliable connectivity and innovative services. As of the end of 2025, Orange connects 340 million customers (including MasOrange) across 26 countries and generated 40.4 billion euros in revenues.
As a trusted player, Orange leverages the excellence of its very high-speed broadband networks to deploy digital infrastructure in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The Group is a European leader in fiber, with 100 million connectable households, and convergent offers. In France, Orange connects 34 million customers and was ranked No. 1 by the regulator Arcep for the quality of its mobile network for the 15th consecutive year. In Africa and the Middle East, the Group's growth engine, Orange serves nearly 180 million customers and promotes digital and financial inclusion through its connected solutions.
Under the Orange Business brand, the Group supports companies in transforming their networks as well as in AI, trusted cloud and cybersecurity. Orange is also a major player in the wholesale market, where it has a leading global telecom infrastructure and significant capabilities for deploying and operating submarine cables. A committed innovator, Orange relies on 700 researchers and holds a portfolio of 11,000 patents.
Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (symbol ORA). More information: www.orange.com.
Orange and any other Orange product or service names mentioned in this material are trademarks of Orange or Orange Brand Services Limited.
Press contacts:
Eric Fohlen-Weill; eric.fohlen-weill@orange.com
Tom Wright; tom.wright@orange.com
