Marcel de Groot takes over as CEO of Vodafone Germany

On 1 April 2024, Marcel de Groot took over as chief executive of Vodafone Germany, the country's second-largest mobile and broadband operator and Vodafone's biggest market in Europe by revenue. He succeeded Philippe Rogge, who left the post.

The change came at a difficult time for the German unit. Competition in mobile and fixed-line services was intense, and the company was under pressure to keep customers and protect earnings. Vodafone's group leadership had made turning around its German business a priority, as it had weighed on overall results.

De Groot's mandate was to stabilise the business and return it to growth. That meant improving customer service and network performance while keeping a close eye on costs. His appointment marked the start of a new phase of management in Germany, and the cost and efficiency measures that followed, including the planned job cuts and greater use of artificial intelligence, form part of the same effort to make the unit leaner and more competitive.