All change at Vodafone

NZ head takes up the reins in UK

Vodafone New Zealand’s chief executive, Tim Miles, is off to head up Vodafone UK in a move that’s described by the company as an “endorsement” of his management style and approach to the mobile phone business.

Miles will be succeeded by Vodafone NZ’s current head of business markets, Russell Stanners.

Stanners joined Vodafone after a successful stint with Unisys both in the US and at home in New Zealand. His background in IT services has been put to good use at Vodafone where he has led the marketing effort in the business and corporate sector.

Miles, also an ex-Unisys man, has been running Vodafone New Zealand since late 2001. He replaced Grahame Maher who left Vodafone New Zealand to head up Vodafone Australia. Interestingly, Maher has also been subject of speculation in Australian media over whether he will take up an unspecified role with Vodafone UK. Maher’s replacement is likely to be Russell Hewitt, former head of Compaq and then Hewlett-Packard New Zealand. Hewitt joined Vodafone Australia in early 2004 as head of the company’s “market-facing sales organisation”.

To complete the reshuffle, former Clear Communications marketing chief Ian Sherger, who joined Vodafone two years ago, is expected to return to New Zealand to take up a role within Vodafone.

Vodafone New Zealand is expected to launch its 3G network in the next few weeks.