Vodafone Group Plc

TelecommunicationsFounded 1984

Market Data Current As Of: September 12, 2026

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Vodafone Group Plc

TelecommunicationsFounded 1984

Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya

Last reviewed: September 12, 2026

Market Data Current As Of: September 12, 2026

Founders

Who Founded Vodafone Group?

Sir Ernest Harrison, Gerry Whent · Founded 1984 · Newbury, Berkshire, United Kingdom

Quick Answer

Vodafone Group was founded by Sir Ernest Harrison, Gerry Whent in 1984 in Newbury, Berkshire, United Kingdom. The company is currently led by Margherita Della Valle.

Founding Story

Vodafone's origin traces back to 1981 when Sir Ernest Harrison, Chairman of British defense electronics contractor Racal Electronics, formed a joint venture with Millicom called Racal Strategic Radio. Led by former army communications officer Gerry Whent, the division secured one of two commercial cellular radio licenses granted by the British government in 1982 (competing with British Telecom's Cellnet). In 1984, the company officially unveiled the brand name 'Vodafone'—a portmanteau of Voice, Data, and Phone. On New Year's Day, January 1, 1985, Gerry Whent's son made the UK's first commercial mobile phone call from London to his father at home using a transportable 11-pound Vodafone VM1 handset, igniting the modern British mobile revolution. In 1991, Racal Telecom was fully demerged from Racal Electronics to trade as an independent corporation on the London Stock Exchange as Vodafone Group.

Sir Ernest Harrison

Background

Sir Ernest Harrison was a legendary British industrialist, chartered accountant, and Chairman of Racal Electronics. Often dubbed the father of British telecommunications, he backed the speculative cellular venture in 1982.

Role at Vodafone Group Plc

Sir Ernest Harrison was the corporate champion and strategic architect behind the creation of Vodafone. As Chairman of Racal Electronics, Harrison took a high-risk gamble by financing Gerry Whent's cellular radio division against intense shareholder skepticism. He guided the venture through its 1985 launch and orchestrated the 1991 demerger of Racal Telecom into Vodafone Group, creating one of Britain's most valuable FTSE 100 corporations.

Gerry Whent

Background

Gerry Whent was a British telecommunications executive and former Royal Signals army officer who led the tactical radio systems division at Racal Electronics.

Role at Vodafone Group Plc

Gerry Whent was the operational founder and first Chief Executive of Vodafone. Whent recognized the revolutionary commercial potential of cellular communications during a business trip to the United States in 1980. He assembled the engineering team, coined the name 'Vodafone', oversaw the construction of the UK's first mobile base stations, and led the company through its initial public offering and early European expansion until his retirement in 1996.

Vodafone Group Plc: CEO & Leadership History

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Margherita Della Valle

Group Chief Executive Officer

2023 – Present

The decisive turnaround leader restructuring Vodafone into a leaner, simpler, high-margin telecommunications and enterprise technology champion.

Sir Christopher Gent

Chief Executive Officer (1997–2003)

1997 – 2003

The architect of Vodafone's golden era of international conquest and global brand ubiquity.

Gerry Whent

Founding Chief Executive Officer (1984–1996)

1984 – 1996

The pioneering founder who birthed the Vodafone brand and laid the operational foundation of British mobile telephony.

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Who Founded Vodafone Group? FAQ

Who founded Vodafone Group Plc and in what year was it established?

Vodafone Group Plc was founded in 1984 by Sir Ernest Harrison, Gerry Whent in Newbury, Berkshire, United Kingdom.

What was the original founding vision for Vodafone Group Plc?

The founders established Vodafone Group Plc with the objective of solving core inefficiencies in Telecommunications, Mobile Broadband, Fixed-Line Services, Cloud Infrastructure & IoT, laying the foundation for its current global scale.