Vodafone’s David Wheldon steps down

Vodafone’s global brand director David Wheldon is understood to be leaving the mobile operator.

David Wheldon

It is not known if Wheldon has a job to go to and a search for a replacement is under way.

Wheldon became Vodafone’s first global brand director in 2004 when he joined the company from WPP’s Team Vodafone business.

He oversaw the launch of last autumn’s ad campaign under Vodafone’s new “Power to you” global positioning.

The UK was the first market to focus on pushing the new Vodafone 360 web service and it is gradually being rolled out globally.

Wheldon also helped mastermind the company’s sponsorship portfolio, which has included high-profile deals with Manchester United, the Ferrari Formula One team and the England cricket team.

In its results published last week, Vodafone Group revealed that its revenue had increased by 10.3% to £11.5bn in the last quarter, compared with last year.

The group has been focusing on worldwide expansion, most recently cracking the Asia Pacific and Middle East markets. In particular, its deal with Essar in India has seen its revenue grow by 13.8% in the country.

Wheldon is a former chairman and chief executive of global communications agency CIA UK Holdings and CIA Media network and a former president of BBDO.

He is also a former vice-president and global head of advertising at Coca-Cola, and a former managing director at both Lowe Howard-Spink and WCRS.

Vodafone was unavailable for comment as Marketing Week went to press.

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