Prague, February 3, 2017 – Vodafone today announced that it has appointed Jiří Báča as Chief Executive Officer as of March 1. Balesh Sharma, current CEO, will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
“Jiří is going to take Vodafone Czech to the next level,” said Balesh Sharma. “His experience in business turnarounds, his passion for servicing customers, commercial success in digital and online services and his authentic leadership make him an extraordinary fit for CEO role. Jiri also happens to be the first Czech to be our CEO here, and will, therefore, bring an immense added value due to his knowledge of the local market.”
Jiří Báča has been with Vodafone since March 2013 and currently serves as the Vice-president for customer care and sales. His leadership has helped increase consumer sales, an area where Vodafone achieved the best customer experience, and sustainable growth.
Jiří brought with him to Vodafone extensive experience from important leading positions in the banking industry. Before joining Vodafone, he successfully managed commercial banking in GE Money Bank. Before that, he served as the CEO of mBank, which he developed into the most dynamic bank in the Czech market. He also worked in the management of a number of companies including CITIBANK, HVB Bank etc.
Balesh Sharma is leaving Vodafone ČR and moving to Vodafone India where he will serve as Chief Operations Officer responsible for consumer and commercial units as well as marketing.
During his three years in the Czech Republic, Balesh has managed to build a strong company, which delivers the best Customer Experience, driven through a great Data Network and a highly engaged and motivated team, leading to growth in market shares, subscriber numbers and improving financial trends.
Balesh Sharma joined Vodafone in 2003. He served as the CEO of Vodafone Malta until 2011. Before that, he held several positions in Vodafone India as well as in BPL Mobile, Xerox and Ricoh.