Julian Horn-Smith (the new, British, chief of Mannesmann) talks to Manager magazine about life after the Vodafone takeover:-
'When will Mannesmann's name change? That's a very sensitive question.
The name stands for a great business and a great tradition. We're going to tread very carefully. Both sides fought hard and some mistakes were made, certainly. But that's in the past, this is a fair deal. Mannesmann is now an important part of the Vodafone family.
Mannesmann is no longer a conglomerate, it's a clearly focused telecommunications business. It's not surprising that some managers don't feel at home here any more. That's not a vote of no confidence - it's natural. Germany is our most important and fastest-growing market in Europe. I'm in Dusseldorf (the Mannesmann HQ) at least one day a week, sometimes two or three - more often than I'm in Newbury (Vodafone's HQ).'
