NEW DELHI: The worlds largest mobile phone company on Monday said Nick Read, who is currently CEO of Vodafone UK will head the Asia Pacific and Middle East region including India as part of its effort to to give greater focus to these high growth markets.

Read will be appointed CEO of the Asia Pacific and Middle East Region which will comprise Vodafone s interests in Australia, China, Egypt, Fiji, India, New Zealand and Qatar, a Vodafone release said.

Vodafone put a lot of focus on these fast growing emerging markets. In India, Vodafone in partnership with Essar already is number three mobile player in terms of subscribers. With the government is preparing to license the third generation spectrum later this year, the market is very crucial to the company.

Earlier this month Vodafone had announced that EMAPA region (Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and affiliates), would be reorganised to provide greater focus on the Group s higher growth markets.

As part of that, it also announced that Morten Lundal, currently CEO Middle East and Africa in EMAPA, would be appointed CEO of the Central Europe and Africa Region which will comprise Vodafone s interests in the Czech Republic, Ghana, Hungary, Kenya, Poland, Romania, Turkey and Vodacom Group in South Africa.

Read and Morten Lundal will report to Vittorio Colao, CEO of Vodafone Group. Guy Laurence, currently CEO of Vodafone Netherlands, will become the CEO of Vodafone UK. He will report to Michel Combes, CEO of the Europe Region.

Read joined Vodafone in 2001 and has had a variety of senior roles including CFO and Chief Commercial Officer of Vodafone UK and was appointed CEO of Vodafone UK in early 2006. Prior to joining Vodafone, Nick held senior global finance positions with UBM plc and Federal Express Worldwide.
Source : DNA