Vodafone, Aditya Birla Group announce leadership team

The Vodafone Group and Aditya Birla Group on Thursday announced the proposed new leadership team of the merger between Vodafone India and Idea Cellular.

The team will come into effect after the merger is completed.

This is in line with the original merger announcement of 20 March 2017, which said that the management team of the combined business would be confirmed prior to closing.

Vodafone and Idea continue to make good progress in securing the required regulatory approvals for the merger, in keeping with the Modi Government's commitment to improve the ease of doing business in India, and completion is expected to be in the first half of the current calendar year.

The existing leadership teams of Idea Cellular and Vodafone India will continue to manage their separate businesses and be accountable for each company's operational performance until the merger becomes effective. It is only upon completion of the merger that the two businesses will cease to operate as distinct and competing entities.

Mr Kumar Mangalam Birla will be the Non-Executive Chairman of the merged Company.

Anil Tandon and Rajat Mukherjee, currently Head of Technology and Head of Corporate Affairs of Idea will be full time advisers to the merged business in their respective areas of expertise, working closely with Vishant and Balaji, respectively.