Branding is displayed for Vodafone at one of its stores in London, Britain, June 14, 2023. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File PhotoDUBAI, Aug 2 (Reuters) - UAE's e& (EAND.AD) has submitted an offer to increase its stake in Vodafone (VOD.L) by 20%, e&'s CEO Hatem Dowidar told CNBC Arabia on Wednesday. The company formerly known as Etisalat, e& has been gradually building up its stake in the British telecoms company ever since it took a 9.8% stake for $4.4 billion in May 2022. The UAE operator's cooperation with Vodafone is awaiting regulatory approvals in countries where the British company operates, which "include an agreement to regulate relations between the two companies, and also the possibility of increasing our stake to 20%," Dowidar said. Reporting by Jana Choukeir, Writing by Clauda Tanios, Editing by Louise HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Persons: Toby Melville, Hatem Dowidar, Dowidar, Jana Choukeir, Clauda Tanios, Louise Heavens Organizations: Vodafone, REUTERS, CNBC Arabia, Etisalat, SEC, British, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, DUBAI, British, UAE