– FRANCE, Paris – Orange (EPA: ORA | NYSE: ORAN) today announced the appointment of Christel Heydemann as CEO, effective from 4 April 2022, to succeed Chairman and CEO Stéphane Richard who will continue as Non-Executive Chairman until the appointment of a new Chairman.
In appointing Christel Heydemann, current EVP Europe Operations at Schneider Electric, the Board has selected a candidate who is recognized for her experience in the telecoms sector and in managing business transformations.
“I am delighted to welcome Christel Heydemann and wish her full success as CEO of Orange. Working alongside the Group’s employees, I am convinced that her personal and professional qualities will enable her to meet the challenges the future holds for the Group. Christel’s involvement as a Board member and her long experience at Alcatel and then Schneider Electric means she has an excellent understanding of the challenges and opportunities of the digital future and the critical role this will play in the decades ahead. I am certain that her vision, her pragmatism and her ability to bring out the best in every situation will be of enormous value to Orange.” said Stéphane Richard.
About Christel Heydemann
Christel Heydemann is currently EVP Europe Operations and a member of the Executive Committee of Schneider Electric. A graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique and the Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées, she began her career in 1997 at Boston Consulting Group. In 1999, she joined Alcatel where she was entrusted with a range of roles and responsibilities, specifically in the context of the merger of Alcatel and Lucent. In 2011, she was appointed to Alcatel-Lucent’s Executive Committee as Director of Human Resources and Transformation. In 2014, she joined Schneider Electric as the Director of Strategic Alliances and in April 2017 she was appointed as EVP of Schneider Electric France and subsequently EVP Europe Operations in May 2021.
Christel Heydemann said: “I would like to thank the Board members for their confidence. As a member of the Board for nearly five years, I have gained a solid understanding of the technological challenges and opportunities that lie before us. I know that these are significant, but it is equally a huge honour to be able to contribute to the development of one of the leading players in our industry and Orange will have my total commitment as we set about this task. I also know I can count, as my predecessor has been able to, on the dedication of all the company’s teams to see Orange through to success.”
About Orange
Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with sales of 42.3 billion euros in 2020 and 137,000 employees worldwide at 30 September 2021, including 79,000 employees in France. The Group has a total customer base of 266 million customers worldwide at 30 September 2021, including 222 million mobile customers and 22 million fixed broadband customers. The Group is present in 26 countries. Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies under the brand Orange Business Services. In December 2019, the Group presented its new “Engage 2025” strategic plan, which, guided by social and environmental accountability, aims to reinvent its operator model. While accelerating in growth areas and placing data and AI at the heart of its innovation model, the Group will be an attractive and responsible employer, adapted to emerging professions.
For more information, visit: www.orange.com
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