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☆ It's no wonder Taco Bell is winning the fast-food wars. Just look at how they treat their biggest fans.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-02 | by ( Anneta Konstantinides | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

When Taco Bell announced the event back in July, it invited hundreds of fast-food lovers to slow down and enjoy "early retirement" with all-you-can-eat Taco Bell meals and "senior-inspired recreation." Hanging among the racks were limited-edition Taco Bell merchandise, vintage T-shirts, basketball shorts, hot pants, and many, many hats. I opted for the Cantina chicken burrito and soft taco, my favorite new menu items at Taco Bell. Tim revealed he was an avid runner who had trekked two miles to grab a single taco from Taco Bell for 97 days in a row. Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderWhen I asked Rotter why Taco Bell was so important to him, he recalled a trip to the only Taco Bell in Hawaii that sells kalua pork, where the staff lit up over his Hawaiian Taco Bell shirt.

Persons: —, Taco, Taco Bell, Uber, tacos, Kenny Rotter, Rotter, fanny, there's, Snoop, I've, Anneta, Taylor Montgomery, Taco Bell's, Montgomery, Dolly Parton, Bell, Gen Z, Tim, dink, influencer Joey Zauzig, Zauzig, Will, James, Caroline Organizations: Service, Taco Bell, Bell, Business, New York, Subway, Planters, KFC, Mac Locations: San Diego, La Valle, San Diego's, Santa Fe, Los Angeles, San, Woodstock, LA, Taco, Hawaii, America

☆ A New Path in Tuscany Offers Rest, Beauty and an Escape from the Crowds
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( Ondine Cohane | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load. A New Path in Tuscany Offers Rest, Beauty and an Escape from the CrowdsThe Sentiero dell’Arte e dell’Anima, or Path of Art and Soul, in Pienza, is lined with 28 benches created by well-known artists where visitors can take in the countryside of the Val d’Orcia. Share full articleThe “Guardiano della Valle,” a 13-foot-tall sculptural figure sits overlooking the countryside near the end of the Sentiero dell’Arte e dell’Anima, or the Path of Art and Soul, in Pienza, Italy. Credit... Emanuele Camerini for The New York Times

Persons: Val, Emanuele Camerini Organizations: The New York Locations: Tuscany, Pienza, Valle, ”, Italy

☆ All the surprise guest appearances at Coachella 2024, from Shakira to Paris Hilton
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Eammon Jacobs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Voices of a generationWatch more from the Coachella Stage all weekend on the @Youtube livestream at https://t.co/369m1pWQBo pic.twitter.com/CHCyTBKcuX — Coachella (@coachella) April 13, 2024Will Smith performed 'Men in Black' during J. Balvin's set, wearing a very appropriate suit. Olivia Rodrigo performed with No Doubt. Gwen Stefani of No Doubt and Olivia Rodrigo perform at the Coachella Stage during the 2024 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at Empire Polo Club on April 13, 2024 in Indio, California. AdvertisementKesha also joined Rapp during her setReneé Rapp and Kesha perform onstage together. Peso Pluma Brings Out Becky G to Perform "Chanel" at Coachella 🖤 • @iambeckyg pic.twitter.com/niypTDldVK — ERIKA ❤️‍🔥 (@beckygchanel_) April 14, 2024Paris Hilton played games with Vampire WeekendParis Hilton at Neon Carnival during Coachella.

Persons: —, Lana Del Rey, Sabrina Carpenter, Barry Keoghan, Megan Fox, Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Jeff Bezos, Del Rey, Lauren Sánchez, Billie Eilish, Shakira, Lana Del Rey's, Christina House, 369m1pWQBo, Will Smith, Balvin's, Arturo Holmes, Olivia Rodrigo, Gwen Stefani, John Shearer, Rodrigo, Bizarrap, Valerie Macon, Childish Gambino, Charlie Wilson, Tyler, Gambino, Donald Glover, Igor, Reneé Rapp, Leisha Hailey, Jennifer Beals, Katherine Moennig, Ilene Chaiken, Rapp, Kesha, Emma McIntyre, ToK, l1TbBn9Mnq — Courtney Howard, Becky G, Chanel, Becky, RIKA ❤ ️‍🔥 ( Organizations: Service, Colorado, Business, Machine, Guardian, Los Angeles Times, Del, Coachella, Valley Music, Arts Festival, Empire Polo Club, Vogue, Bizarrap, WHO Locations: Coachella, Black, Indio , California, AFP, LA

☆ UK regulator refers Vodafone's merger with Three for in-depth competition probe
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The U.K. competition regulator on Thursday referred the proposed merger between Vodafone and CK Hutchison's Three mobile network to an in-depth investigation. The CMA has given itself a deadline of Sept. 18 to complete the in-depth probe, also known as a phase 2 investigation. The CMA has previously said the deal could lead to customers facing higher prices and reduced quality, a lessening of competition in the U.K. mobile market. Announced last year, Vodafone and CK Hutchison's transaction would merge the two brands' U.K. businesses, giving Vodafone a 51% controlling stake and leaving CK Hutchison with the minority interest. Vodafone and Three reiterated that "there will be no change to each operator's pricing strategy as a result of the merger."

Persons: Margherita Della Valle, CK Hutchison Organizations: Vodafone, CK, Markets Authority, CMA, Regulators, CK Hutchison Locations: London, British, United Kingdom

LONDON (AP) — British cellphone company Vodafone confirmed Friday that it is selling its Italian business to Switzerland’s Swisscom for 8 billion euros ($8.7 billion) and will hand back half of the proceeds to its shareholders through the buyback of company shares. Swisscom, a telecoms operator, will pay in cash that it will finance through new debt. "Fastweb and Vodafone Italia are an ideal fit to create high added value for all stakeholders." Swisscom will pay annual initial charges of 350 million euros, which is expected to decrease over time. ”Its refreshed strategy also has seen it seek to merge its U.K. business with Three U.K. to create Britain’s biggest mobile phone network worth around 15 billion pounds ($19 billion).

Persons: Swisscom, Christoph Aeschlimann, Margherita Della Valle, “, ”, Sophie Lund, Yates, stockbrokers Hargreaves Lansdown Organizations: Vodafone, Fastweb, Vodafone Italia Locations: British, Italy, Hungary, Ghana, London, Zurich

☆ UK opens antitrust probe into Vodafone merger with CK Hutchison's Three mobile network
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A pedestrian walks past a Vodafone store in central London on May 16, 2023. British mobile giant Vodafone is to axe 11,000 jobs over three years in the latest cull to hit the tech sector, as new boss Margherita Della Valle slammed recent performance. Britain's competition watchdog on Friday said it is opening an investigation into the proposed merger between Vodafone and the Three UK mobile network owned by CK Hutchison . The initial probe will look at whether the deal will lead to a "substantial lessening of competition," according to the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). "The CMA will assess how this tie-up between rival networks could impact competition before deciding next steps."

Persons: Margherita Della Valle, CK Hutchison, Sarah Cardell Organizations: Vodafone, CK, U.K, Competition, Markets Authority, CMA Locations: London, British

Amateur champion, is the first amateur winner since Phil Mickelson at the Tucson Open in 1991. Playing in just his fourth tour event, he became only the seventh amateur winner since 1945 — and the third since 1957. He's also the youngest winner in the event's history, and he became the youngest amateur to win on the tour since 1910. If he turns pro and joins the PGA Tour, he still gets in the Masters and U.S. Open, along with the remaining seven $20 million signature events on tour. “I think I hit somebody” with the second shot, Dunlap said.

Persons: — Nick Dunlap, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, . Dunlap, Phil Mickelson, Bob Hope, Dunlap, ” Dunlap, ”, He's, Jay Seawell, Tiger Woods, doesn't, doesn’t, “, ” Bezuidenhout, congrats, hadn't, Sam Burns birdied, It’s, Burns, “ I’m, ” Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele, Kevin Yu Organizations: PGA, American Express, of Alabama, U.S, Amateur, Tucson, PGA West, U.S . Amateur, U.S . Junior, South, FedEx, Alabama, Masters, PGA Tour Locations: QUINTA, Calif, ., Dunlap, British, Coachella

And then on Sunday, Dunlap will attempt to become the first amateur to win on the PGA Tour in 33 years. “The hole looked like a funnel.”Only seven amateurs have won on the PGA Tour since 1945, and only four since 1950. Burns shot a steady 65 on the Stadium Course to stay in contention after taking the lead with his career-low 61 on Friday. Dunlap shot a bogey-free 65 on the Stadium on Friday for the highest score of his three impressive rounds. Just hit one good shot at a time, and try to stack ’em and give myself a lot of good looks."

Persons: Nick Dunlap's, Dunlap, Sam Burns, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay's, Cantlay, ” Dunlap, Phil Mickelson, Burns, Thomas, It’s, Didn't, ” Thomas, he's, I've, “ Nick, he’s, ” Burns, “ He’s, Tiger Woods, Bob Hope, Jordan Spieth, Africa's Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler, ___ Organizations: PGA, University of Alabama, The American Express, La Quinta Country Club, Tucson, Arizona State, Crimson Tide, LSU, Crimson, Tiger, U.S . Amateur, U.S . Junior, American, FedEx, John Deere Locations: QUINTA, Calif, Palm Springs, Highlands, Alabama

LA QUINTA, Calif. (AP) — Sam Burns shot the best round of his life with “RTR” shaved into the side of his head. Burns fired a career-low 61 on Friday to take a one-shot lead over Michael Kim and a two-shot lead on Dunlap at The American Express. While Burns was at 17-under 127 after his second straight impressive round, Dunlap and South Korea’s K.H. Burns shot 62 at the BMW Championship last season and at the Byron Nelson in 2021. He used that familiarity with the American Express courses to shoot 65-63 in the first two rounds, including six birdies on the back nine of the Nicklaus course Friday.

Persons: — Sam Burns, ”, Justin Thomas, Nick Dunlap, Burns, sizzling, Michael Kim, Dunlap, K.H, Lee, Tiger Woods, ” Dunlap, “ I've, Phil Mickelson, “ It’s, ” Burns, didn’t, Byron Nelson, Nicklaus, Thomas, gleeful, “, Nick, Saban’s, ” Kim, Kim, Alex Noren, Zach Johnson, Bob Hope, David Duval, Adam Hadwin, ___ Organizations: LSU, The American Express, Dunlap, Tiger, U.S . Amateur, U.S . Junior, PGA, BMW, La Quinta, Louisiana, Southern California's, American Express, Nicklaus, Palmer, La Quinta Country, Hadwin Locations: QUINTA, Calif, Alabama, Coachella, Dunlap, Tucson , Arizona, Nos, La, Louisiana, Palm Springs, San Diego, Sweden

Johnson’s 29 on the front nine was the lowest nine-hole score in his 493 career PGA Tour starts, and he needed only 10 putts to do it. “La Quinta Country Club is legitimately one of the purest places we play on the PGA Tour year-in, year-out,” Johnson said. The 41-year-old 10-time European Tour winner is still seeking his first PGA Tour title. This course is beautiful.”Hoey — the Philippines-born, Rancho-Cucamonga-raised product of USC — excelled in his fourth PGA Tour start. Hoey is among the 30 American Express participants who earned their PGA Tour cards from last year's Korn Ferry Tour.

Persons: — Zach Johnson, Johnson, Sweden's Alex Noren, “, ” Johnson, I’ve, outdid, Rico Hoey, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Australia's Min Woo Lee, Si Woo Kim, ” Noren, ” Hoey, USC —, Hoey, Korn, ”, ” Thomas, hasn't, Scottie Scheffler, Rickie Fowler, Wyndham Clark, Bob Hope, ___ Organizations: Ryder, American Express, La Quinta Country, Quinta Country, PGA, USC, Southern California, Nicklaus, Quinta Locations: QUINTA, Calif, U.S, Coachella, Quinta, Philippines, Rancho, Cucamonga, Palm

☆ Vodafone reports Q2 improvement after Germany returns to growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Telecoms company Vodafone (VOD.L) reported an acceleration in service revenue in the second quarter on Tuesday after Germany, its biggest market, returned to growth. It reported a 4.2% rise in group service revenue for the six months to the end of September, with both Europe and Africa up, and 0.3% higher adjusted core earnings, a rise limited by higher energy costs. Chief Executive Margherita Della Valle said Vodafone had delivered improved revenue growth in nearly all of its markets in the first half of its financial year. "Our focus on customers and simplifying our business is beginning to bear fruit, although much more needs to be done," she said. ($1 = 0.9346 euros)Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Kate HoltonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Margherita Della Valle, Paul Sandle, Kate Holton Organizations: Vodafone, British, Thomson Locations: Germany, Europe, Africa

☆ Vodafone to sell Spanish arm to Zegona for $5.30 bln
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Vodafone (VOD.L) will sell its struggling Spanish business to Zegona Communications (ZEG.L) for 5 billion euros ($5.30 billion), it said on Tuesday, in the British firm's second major transaction this year. Vodafone said it would receive at least 4.1 billion euros in cash. It will also provide 900 million euros in financing in the form of preference shares redeemable no later than six years after closing. Vodafone ranks third in Spanish telecoms after Telefonica and Orange. Zegona's Chairman and CEO Eamonn O'Hare said he was "very excited" about the opportunity to return to the Spanish telecomsmarket.

Persons: Margherita Della Valle, Britain's, Della Valle, Eamonn O'Hare, Yadarisa, Paul Sandle, Subhranshu Sahu, Kate Holton Organizations: Vodafone, Zegona Communications, Vodafone's, Telefonica, British, Zegona's, Thomson Locations: British, Spain, Orange, Spanish, Telecable, Bengaluru, London

☆ Vodafone will struggle to get clean exit in Spain
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Toby Melville Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 30 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Vodafone’s (VOD.L) boss Margherita Della Valle is cleaning up the sprawling 21 billion pound telecom group, but it’s a tough job. A potentially messy exit in Spain illustrates the point. Della Valle lacks an obvious partner in the country: local giant Telefónica (TEF.MC) is too big, while rivals Orange (ORAN.PA) and MásMóvil are merging with one another. As a result, Vodafone may have found itself a potentially problematic counterparty for the Spanish business, which Della Valle has put under strategic review. Investors might be reassured that Della Valle is making things happen, but a clean break in Spain looks increasingly unlikely.

Persons: Toby Melville, Margherita Della Valle, Della Valle, Eamonn O’Hare, Expansión, Zegona, Pamela Barbaglia, Liam Proud, Streisand Neto Organizations: Vodafone, REUTERS, Reuters, Orange, Zegona Communications, Virgin Media, Bloomberg, Deutsche Bank, ING, Reuters Graphics Reuters, X, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Spain

☆ Apollo, JB Capital preparing bid for Vodafone's Spanish unit, Expansion says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Nacho Doce/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsMADRID, Oct 9 (Reuters) - U.S.-based buyout fund Apollo Global Management is readying a bid with local fund JB Capital for the Spanish unit of telecom giant Vodafone (VOD.L), the Expansion newspaper reported on Monday citing unidentified sources with knowledge of the matter. The news about a potential bid comes three weeks after British telecom investment company Zegona (ZEG.L) said it was in talks with Vodafone to buy the Spanish unit. Vodafone CEO Margherita Della Valle launched a strategic review of the Spanish unit earlier this year. Vodafone is one of the three largest telecom operators in Spain together with Telefonica (TEF.MC) and the local unit of France's Orange (ORAN.PA). Apollo and JB Capital did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Persons: Nacho, Margherita Della Valle, Inti Landauro, Jason Neely Organizations: Vodafone, Congress, REUTERS, Rights, Apollo Global Management, JB Capital, Spanish, Telefonica, Thomson Locations: Barcelona, Spain, Rights MADRID

☆ Mount Etna eruption disrupts Sicily's troubled Catania airport
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] Mount Etna, Europe's most active volcano, lights up the night sky with eruptions as seen from Rocca Della Valle, Italy, August 13, 2023. Etna Walk/Marco Restivo/ Handout via REUTERSCATANIA, Sicily, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Flights serving the eastern Sicilian city of Catania were halted on Monday after an eruption from nearby Mount Etna, local authorities said, bringing fresh travel woe to the crisis-plagued Italian airport. The 3,330 metre (10,925 ft) high volcano burst into action overnight, firing lava and ash high over the Mediterranean island. Flights to and from Catania, a popular tourist destination, would be suspended until 8:00 p.m. (1800 GMT), the airport said on Twitter. The latest cancellations at Catania airport, which attracts more arrivals than the island's capital, Palermo, came a month after a fire at a terminal building led to weeks of disruptions for passengers.

Persons: Rocca Della Valle, Marco Restivo, Enrico Trantino, Crispian Balmer, Conor Humphries Organizations: REUTERS, Twitter, Catania, Thomson Locations: Etna, Italy, Handout, REUTERS CATANIA, Sicily, Sicilian, Catania, Mount Etna, Palermo

☆ Vodafone boosted by 1&1 5G network deal in Germany
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The headquarters of Vodafone Germany are pictured in Duesseldorf September 12, 2013. Shares in British company Vodafone rose 3% in London and 1&1 (1U1.DE) soared 15%, set for its biggest one-day gain since 2008. 1&1, the mobile phone operation of German internet provider United Internet (UTDI.DE), is building a fourth mobile network. The deal knocked shares in Telefonica Deutschland (O2Dn.DE), as 1&1 teamed up with its competitor Vodafone. Vodafone said in its statement on Wednesday that the commercial agreement with 1&1 was for 18 years, and would start to deliver the 5G coverage to 1&1 customers from the second half of 2024.

Persons: Ina Fassbender, Margherita Della Valle, Sarah Young, Danilo Masoni, Hakan Ersen Organizations: Vodafone, REUTERS, United, Telefonica Deutschland, Telefonica, Thomson Locations: Vodafone Germany, Germany, London, Telefonica Deutschland's, Madrid

☆ Vodafone takes 'first steps' in turnaround with top-line improvement
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 24 (Reuters) - Vodafone (VOD.L) reported better top-line growth on Monday, driven by higher prices in Britain and improvements in Germany, Italy and Spain, marking a positive start for new Chief Executive Margherita Della Valle's turnaround plan. She said on Monday that organic service revenue had improved "across almost all of our markets", as it reported a 3.7% first-quarter rise. The decline in service revenue in Germany more than halved quarter-on-quarter to 1.3%, as price rises partially offset the impact of customer losses over the last 18 months. Growth in service revenue in Britain, where Vodafone announced the merger of its operation with Hutchison's rival network Three last month, accelerated to 5.7%, boosted by strong growth in consumer and price increases. In Italy, improved demand from businesses helped reduce the service revenue decline to 1.6%, from 2.7% in the previous quarter, it said, while Spain saw a smaller improvement to a decline of 3.0% from 3.7%.

Persons: Margherita Della Valle's, Luka Mucic, Della Valle, We've, Ahmed Essam, Paul Sandle, Kate Holton, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Vodafone, SAP, Thomson Locations: Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain

☆ Tod's creative director Walter Chiapponi to step down
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] The logo of Tod's is seen in a shop in downtown Rome, Italy February 10, 2016. REUTERS/Tony Gentile/File PhotoMILAN, July 12 (Reuters) - Italian luxury fashion group Tod's (TOD.MI) said on Wednesday that creative director Walter Chiapponi was leaving the company "by mutual agreement" after four years. Chiapponi will present his last Tod's Spring Summer 2024 women's collection in September at the Milan Fashion Week, the group said in a statement. Tod's did not name a replacement but said that a "new creative direction" would be announced in the coming months. The designer's departure was first reported by Women's Wear Daily (WWD) on Wednesday, citing unnamed sources.

Persons: Tony Gentile, MILAN, Walter Chiapponi, Chiapponi, Tod's, Women's, Walter, Diego Della Valle, Fay, Hogan, Roger Vivier, Elisa Anzolin, Keith Weir Organizations: REUTERS, Milan, Tod's, Thomson Locations: Rome, Italy

☆ Curfews imposed after more than 20 killed in north Honduras
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TEGUCIGALPA, June 25 (Reuters) - The Honduran government announced curfews on Sunday in two northern cities after more than 20 people were killed overnight in separate attacks amid escalating violence in the country. President Xiomara Castro announced a 15-day curfew in Choloma between 9 pm and 4 am, effective immediately, and another in San Pedro Sula, effective July 4. There has been a partial state of emergency in parts of Honduras since December in a bid to confront violent gangs and turf wars. The minister, speaking at a press conference, added that 1,000 additional police and military are being sent to the Sula Valley, where Choloma and San Pedro Sul are located. Reporting by Gustavo Palencia; Writing by Isabel Woodford; Editing by Chris Reese and Lincoln FeastOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: curfews, Edgardo Barahona, San Pedro Sulay, Xiomara Castro, Castro, Gustavo Sanchez, San Pedro Sul, Gustavo Palencia, Isabel Woodford, Chris Reese, Lincoln Organizations: Reuters, Twitter, Security, Thomson Locations: TEGUCIGALPA, Honduran, Choloma, Valle, Sula, San Pedro, San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Tegucigalpa

☆ Vodafone hires Morgan Stanley to weigh options for its Spanish unit - Expansion
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

MADRID, June 21 (Reuters) - Britain telecoms company Vodafone (VOD.L) has hired investment bank Morgan Stanley to evaluate the options for its Spanish unit, Spanish newspaper Expansion reported on Wednesday citing unidentified market sources. The company has started a strategic review on the future of its Spanish unit and its CEO Margherita Della Valle said last month the company's management is open to "structural change". A Vodafone spokesperson in Madrid declined to comment and Morgan Stanley did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment. Reporting by Inti Landauro, Editing by Louise HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Margherita Della Valle, Inti Landauro, Louise Heavens Organizations: Vodafone, Spanish, Thomson Locations: MADRID, Britain, Madrid

[1/2] Vodafone Group CEO Margherita Della Valle poses in this undated handout picture obtained by Reuters on May 16, 2023. "For Vodafone this transaction is a game changer in our home market," Della Valle, a 29-year company veteran, told reporters. That is likely to take time, but Kester Mann, a director at CCS Insight, said the British announcement would give Della Valle a boost. "She has shown clear intent to make changes at Vodafone as she bids to turn the embattled company's performance around," he said. "Securing approval for a tie-up with (Hutchison's) Three would be a major boost to her early tenure."

Persons: Margherita Della Valle, Della Valle, CK Hutchison, Nick Read, Kester Mann, Kate Holton, Sinead Cruise, Emelia Sithole Organizations: Vodafone, Reuters, Handout, REUTERS, HK, CCS Insight, Thomson Locations: Britain, Hong Kong, Germany, Spain, Italy, British

Vodafone and CK Hutchison, which owns the Three UK mobile network, agreed to merge their U.K. businesses, following talks that have been ongoing since last year, the companies said Wednesday. Vodafone will own 51% of the combined business, leaving CK Hutchison the minority stake. "This long-awaited mega merger represents the biggest shake-up in the UK mobile market for over a decade," Kester Mann, director for consumer and connectivity at CCS Insight said in emailed comments. Current Vodafone UK CEO Ahmed Essam will lead the new enterprise, while the present Three UK Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Darren Purkis will assume the CFO position at the merged business. BT acquired EE in 2016, while Telefonica and Liberty Global launched Virgin Media O2 in 2021.

Persons: CK Hutchison, Kester Mann, Ahmed Essam, Darren Purkis, Nick Read, Margherita Della Valle Organizations: Vodafone, CK, CK Hutchison, Insight, BT, Virgin Media O2, EE, O2, Telefonica, Liberty Global, Markets Authority, CMA, Activision Blizzard

☆ Telco tycoons’ UK bets look stuck underwater
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-25 | by ( Pamela Barbaglia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Set those complications aside, however, and his stake-building may have cost about 4.2 billion pounds overall since 2021. That’s according to Breakingviews calculations which use the share price from the day before each stake increase became public. The holding is now worth 3.6 billion pounds, implying a nearly 560 million pound or 13% loss. That’s mild compared with some of Vodafone’s investors. But UK consolidation would hardly move the needle as Vodafone is haggling to retain control of the merged entity.

Within weeks, Della Valle gave them a stark assessment of the problems Vodafone faces. Complicating matters is an investor base with conflicting demands, concerns about Vodafone's dividend outlook and a workforce reeling from the deep job cuts. While many observers in and outside the company had expected a fresh face, Della Valle won over the board. Vodafone's shares are trading at lows last seen in 2002, largely due to a cut to free cash flow forecasts. That may not sit well with Vodafone's other key investors - French telecoms billionaire Xavier Niel, who competes with it in Italy, and Liberty Global, its partner in the Netherlands.

☆ BT jobs: Company will shed as many as 55,000 workers by 2030
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

London CNN —BT Group is planning to slash up to 55,000 jobs in the next five to seven years as it makes greater use of technology to cut costs and simplify its business. The UK telecom company said Thursday that its total workforce would fall to between 75,000 and 90,000 by 2028-2030, from 130,000 at present. “New BT Group will be a leaner business with a brighter future.”Earlier this week, Vodafone (VOD), once the world’s biggest mobile telecom group, said it would cut 11,000 jobs, or about 11% of its workforce, over three years. The company also unveiled a turnaround plan to revive its ailing fortunes under new CEO Margherita Della Valle. Its adjusted earnings rose 5% to £7.9 billion ($9.8 billion).

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