Vodafone Group revealed Olaf Swantee (pictured) would join its board in July, with the industry veteran also set to step down from a similar role at Sweden-based Telia.

Subject to shareholder approval, Swantee is set to join Vodafone’s top team along with a role on the group’s audit and risk committee after the company’s AGM on 27 July.

As Vodafone unveiled the planned appointment, Telia announced Swantee had told them he would be “unavailable” for re-election to its board at its upcoming AGM. He has served on its board since 2016.

In a long and varied career, Swantee has held senior roles in several large operators and groups in the mobile industry.

Prior to quitting in the wake of a failed acquisition of a local cable company in 2020, he was CEO of Swiss operator Sunrise.

He was previously CEO at UK operator EE before its acquisition by BT. There he oversaw the operator’s rebrand from Everything Everywhere in 2012, launch of 4G, and integration and subsequent winding down of composite UK brands Orange and T-Mobile.

Swantee has also held positions at the forerunner of Orange in France, HP, and Compaq Computer and Digital Equipment, alongside board positions at several companies including T-Mobile US, Mobistar Belgium and Orange Poland.

In a statement, Vodafone chairman Jean-Francois van Boxmeer said Swantee would play “a significant role in the next stage of Vodafone’s strategic development”.