Amparo Moraleda leaves Vodafone after nine years
The Spanish Amparo Moraleda will leave her position as director of the British group Vodafone at the end of July, after having held the position for nine years. Her departure occurs in a context of significant changes in the company, where she will be replaced by Olaf Koch, former CEO of Metro.
The announcement was made through a statement issued by Vodafone, which confirmed that Koch will assume the role of non-executive director after the Annual General Meeting scheduled for the end of July 2026, subject to shareholder approval.
Amparo Moraleda, who has also been president of the group's Remuneration Committee and ESG Committee, decided not to run for re-election. Her departure from the board occurs at a time when she has been appointed president of the board of directors of Airbus, becoming the first Spaniard to lead the aeronautical company.
Since joining Vodafone in June 2017, Moraleda has played a key role as an independent director. Her decision to leave office coincides with her recent resignation as vice president of CaixaBank, where she had been for 12 years as an independent director.
Olaf Koch, new director of Vodafone
Vodafone also announced that following the 2026 Annual General Meeting, Christine Ramon will take over as chair of the Remuneration Committee and Anne-Françoise Nesmes will take the helm of the ESG Committee, replacing Moraleda in both roles. These decisions are part of a restructuring that seeks to strengthen the company's management in a competitive environment.
Jean-François van Boxmeer, president of Vodafone, highlighted the arrival of Olaf Koch to the board, noting that his experience will be a "valuable contribution" to the execution of the group's strategy. Van Boxmeer also thanked Moraleda for his work in the company, expressing his wish that he continue contributing until the next General Shareholders' Meeting.
Olaf Koch, who will join the board of Vodafone, has an outstanding career in business. He was CEO of Metro between 2012 and 2021 and has held several senior management positions at Daimler, where he was in charge of areas such as e-commerce and finance at Mercedes-Benz. His career began with the founding and sale of a computer networking company, which allowed him to gain experience in the sector.
Currently, Koch is a partner at Zintinus, a firm that advises companies on digital transformation and development. In addition, he represents shareholders on the Supervisory Board of Mercedes-Benz, where he chairs the Audit Committee and the Legal Affairs Committee.
Moraleda's departure and Koch's arrival mark a new chapter in the history of Vodafone, which seeks to adapt to the challenges of the global market. The company has been in a transformation process to improve its competitiveness and respond to consumer demands.
With these management changes, Vodafone hopes to strengthen its position in the telecommunications sector, where innovation and adaptation are key to success. The company faces a constantly evolving environment, where technology and user expectations are constantly changing.
The 2026 Annual General Meeting will be a key moment for the company, where these changes are expected to be ratified and future strategies outlined. The arrival of new leaders and the departure of consolidated figures such as Moraleda reflect the dynamics of the sector and the need for renewal in the high business spheres.
Vodafone's transformation is part of a broader context of changes in the telecommunications sector, where companies seek to adapt to an increasingly digital and competitive environment.
Amparo Moraleda has been a prominent figure in the Spanish business world, and his departure from Vodafone marks the end of an era for the British company.
Vodafone's Annual General Meeting is scheduled for the end of July 2026.
