Day	Wednesday
Date	26th September 2012
Time	18.30 - 21.00 (Presentation starts at 19.00)
Venue	Mayer Brown International LLP, 201 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 3AF
Tube	Shoreditch High Street, Liverpool Street Station
Cost	£20.00 for members; £30.00 for non-Members and guests
	Click here to book

THE LEADERSHIP IN THE 21ST CENTURY SERIES

THE FUTURE IS MOBILE

VITTORIO COLAO, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, VODAFONE

SUPPORTED BY

Since the first ever mobile call in the on 1 January 1986, a small mobile operator in Newbury has grown into a global business and the seventh most valuable brand in the world. It now operates in more than 30 countries and partners with networks in over 40 more. Today Vodafone is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers (behind China Mobile), with over 391 million subscribers as of September 2011.  As such it determines the technology, convergence strategy; supply chains and customer offerings in the entire sector.

In an increasingly connected world, it’s no longer just about being able to talk and text. Increasingly throughout the world, people want to share images and videos as soon as they’re captured and to share thoughts and feelings as soon as they’re created. Individuals and businesses want straightforward solutions that scale and adapt as their needs change, communications on the move and integrated services that enables sharing of documents, video conferencing and access to corporate applications from anywhere in the world and at any time. Increasingly innovative uses are being found to harness the power of mobile communications eg. the mobile money transfer initiatives in countries without widespread banking facilities and the world of apps.

So - what does the future hold?  What can we expect to hit the market in the next 5 or 10 years? What are the true innovations being considered and how different will our lives and working methods look by the end of this decade?

The HBS Alumni Club of London established this Leadership programme in 2011 as it believes that leadership and organisations in the 21st century are more fluid and dynamic, with creativity and innovation playing increasingly important roles.  This new series looks at how people and enterprises are approaching a rapidly changing, more integrated world, with a host of new players and how they are influencing their environment, innovating and managing resources and multicultural teams, through the optic of a wide variety of organisations.

Vittorio Colao, aged 50, holds a Business Degree cum Laude from Bocconi University and an MBA with Honours from Harvard Business School. He spent the early part of his career working for Morgan Stanley in London, for Mondadori, the Italian publisher, and for McKinsey in Italy. He was a Partner with McKinsey until 1996, working in the media, telecommunications and industrial goods sectors and was also responsible for heading the Finance practice and consultant recruitment.

Vittorio joined Omnitel Pronto Italia, Italy's second mobile operator, as Chief Operating Officer in 1996. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 1999, and Regional CEO, Southern Europe for Vodafone Group Plc. in 2001, following the acquisition of the business. He became a member of the Board of Directors of Vodafone Group Plc. in 2002 and was subsequently appointed Regional CEO for Southern Europe, Middle East and Africa in 2003.

In 2004, he left Vodafone to become Chief Executive Officer of RCS MediaGroup, the leading Italian publishing company.  ]He returned to Vodafone Group Plc in 2006 as Chief Executive Officer, Europe and Deputy Group CEO, and as a member of the Board of Directors.   Vittorio was then appointed Chief Executive of Vodafone Group Plc in July 2008.

Vittorio has been a Non-executive Director and member of the Remuneration Committee of RAS Insurance, then listed on the Milan stock Exchange (now merged with Allianz SE), and was previously a Non-executive Director and Chairman of the Remuneration Committee of Finmeccanica, the Italian listed defence and aerospace conglomerate. During his tenure at RCS, he was also a member of the Board and the Executive  Committee of the European Oncology Institute in Milan.
Currently, he is a member of the Board of Fondazione CAF in Milan (a charity active with children under legal protection) and is also a member of the International Advisory Board of Bocconi University.

Canapes and drinks will be served.  Guests are welcome.

Please book on line at: http://www.hbsa.org.uk

Alternatively contact Janet Talbut on events@hbsa.org.uk / Tel:01799 513892