Vodafone Spain in a leadership transition and strategic review
Vodafone Spain is entering a pivotal moment as its non-executive chairman prepares to step away after more than a decade with the company. Antonio Coimbra will not renew his position and plans to leave the group on September 30 to begin a new cycle in his professional career. Ahead of that milestone, Mário Vaz is set to assume dual responsibilities, becoming both CEO and the executive leader guiding the Spanish subsidiary through the transition. The move signals a careful reshuffling aligned with Vodafone Group’s broader strategic considerations for its European footprint.
Coimbra has been a central figure in Vodafone Spain’s recent evolution. He served as CEO from 2012 to 2020 and became president in January 2018. In recent years, executive power within the presidency has shifted away from the role, with day-to-day authority resting with the group’s chief executives, notably Colman Deegan and, more recently, Mário Vaz. This layered leadership arrangement reflects ongoing adjustments as Vodafone Group recalibrates its Spanish operations amid market pressures.
The leadership handover coincides with Vodafone Group’s decision to initiate a strategic review for Vodafone Spain that could lead to the sale of all or part of the Spanish subsidiary. The process is part of a broader examination of options aimed at improving competitive positioning in a market crowded by low-cost operators and intense price competition.
As part of the transition, Vaz commented on Coimbra’s contributions, highlighting decisive leadership during a period of change. He noted how Coimbra drove bold decisions to position the company for faster fiber deployment, converged services, and television offerings, all while managing the talent within the organization. The forward-looking tone from Vaz underscored a shared view that Coimbra helped Vodafone Spain navigate a challenging landscape with strategic vision and team-orientated management.
A reinvention beyond football on TV
During Coimbra’s tenure as CEO, Vodafone Spain pursued a substantial reinvention of its business model. The company discontinued football from its pay-TV lineup when it proved financially unviable, aligning the product strategy with regulatory realities and prioritizing other offerings such as movies and TV series. This shift was accompanied by the launch of the Lowi brand to reach price-sensitive customers and the early introduction of 5G services, signaling Vodafone Spain’s commitment to staying ahead in connectivity. The leadership also oversaw a significant organizational restructuring following a workforce reduction under the ERE framework to improve efficiency and agility.
In the same period, Vodafone Spain appointed Mário Vaz, who had been leading the Portuguese arm since 2012, as the new CEO to restart growth for the Spanish operation. The aim was to halt the revenue declines that had characterized the subsidiary, driven by a market dominated by low-cost players and ongoing competitive pressure. Vodafone emphasized that the Spanish arm has managed to stabilize revenue declines in recent quarters, reflecting careful execution of the strategic plan and a focus on value-added services and superior customer experience.
The broader context sees Vodafone Group evaluating how best to respond to evolving European telecom dynamics. The strategic review underscores the company’s intent to optimize assets and align leadership with the ambition to deliver faster fiber networks, integrated converged services, and compelling content offerings. Vodafone Spain’s leadership transition is presented as a natural part of this ongoing evolution, ensuring continuity while pursuing a refreshed growth agenda.
The narrative of Coimbra’s stewardship highlights both the challenges and the successes encountered during a time of rapid change in the telecoms landscape. His tenure is marked by a willingness to make tough choices, a focus on customer-centric products, and a commitment to building a resilient organization capable of competing in a high-speed, post-broadband era. The consensus among executive peers and stakeholders is that his influence will be remembered for advancing the company’s strategic posture and for cultivating leadership talent within the team.
Looking ahead, Vodafone Spain continues to chart a path that balances aggressive investment in next-generation networks with the need to preserve financial discipline. The leadership transition, coupled with the strategic review, signals a careful approach to sustaining market relevance while exploring opportunities that could reshape the subsidiary’s future. The company remains focused on delivering superior connectivity, innovative services, and a compelling value proposition for Spanish consumers in a dynamic market.
Source: Vodafone Spain leadership announcements and internal strategy briefings.