STOCKHOLM, Sweden, May 9, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Hans Kuropatwa, Governance Director at the Vodafone Group (NYSE:VOD), is to succeed Jon Risfelt as President and CEO when the latter leaves Vodafone Sweden after three years at the helm. Hans Kuropatwa has worked at the Vodafone Group for a number of years and has also been a member of the Board of Directors of Europolitan Vodafone AB.
"After three highly successful years, Jon has decided to look for new challenges elsewhere. Under his presidency, Vodafone Sweden has consolidated and developed its leading role as an operator active in the Swedish mobile telecoms market," saID Ulf J Johansson, Chairman of the Board of Europolitan Vodafone AB. "Hans Kuropatwa possesses longstanding experience of international leadership, as well as of working at the Vodafone Group. We are therefore delighted that Vodafone Group plc has now appointed Hans Kuropatwa to this important position."
Hans Kuropatwa will be taking over the position of President and CEO at Vodafone Sweden with immediate effect.
Hans Kuropatwa was born in 1958. Between 1998-2001, he was a member of the Board of Vodafone Sweden. He has also worked as Regional Managing Director of Southern Europe within the Vodafone Group and been involved in the Boards of Panafon SA (Greece), Vodafone Malta, Omnitel (Italy), Airtel (Spain) and Libertel (the Netherlands). Hans Kuropatwa's last position was as Governance Director of the Vodafone Group.
For more information, please contact: Ulf J Johansson, Chairman of the Board, Europolitan Vodafone AB Telephone: 0734-25 26 12
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