Appointment of COO

Vodafone Group PLC
31 January 2001



         APPOINTMENT OF GROUP CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
          STRENGTHENING OF GROUP MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE

Vodafone  Group Plc ('Vodafone') announces the appointment  of
Julian Horn-Smith to the newly created position of Group Chief
Operating Officer with effect from 1 April 2001.

As  Group Chief Operating Officer, Julian Horn-Smith will have
responsibility for the day to day business performance of  the
operating   companies   and  the  overall   progress   towards
integration of the Group's activities to provide synergies and
increased efficiency with benefits to customers.  In  his  new
position  as Group COO, Julian will report directly  to  Chris
Gent, Vodafone's Group Chief Executive.

As  a result of this appointment, Julian Horn-Smith's existing
responsibilities  as  Chief Executive Europe  Region  will  be
assumed as follows:

Main  Board  Director,  Peter  Bamford,  will  have  increased
responsibilities  in his new role as Chief Executive  Northern
Europe,  Middle  East and Africa Region (UK, Belgium,  France,
Ireland, Netherlands, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa and Sweden).

Jurgen  von Kuczkowski, currently responsible for D2  Vodafone
in  Germany, will become Chief Executive Central Europe Region
with  responsibility  for the Group's  interests  in  Germany,
Austria, Hungary, Poland and Switzerland.

Vittorio Colao, Chief Executive Officer of Omnitel Vodafone in
Italy,  will  become Chief Executive Southern  Europe  Region,
assuming  the  responsibility for  the  Group's  interests  in
Italy, Greece, Malta, Portugal, Romania and Spain.

In  addition, Main Board Director, Thomas Geitner, will become
Chief  Executive Group Products and Services.  He will  assume
new  global  responsibilities for  Product  Management,  IT  &
Technology,  Supply  Chain Management,  Brand  Management  and
Account  Management,  and  line  responsibility  for  Vodafone
Telecommerce and ARCOR.

Other responsibilities that remain unchanged are those of Bill
Keever, who remains as President Americas & Asia Region,  with
responsibility  for the Group's interests in the  USA,  China,
Japan, Korea, India, Mexico and Globalstar.

Brian  Clark  continues  as Chief Executive  for  the  Pacific
Region, responsible for Group companies in Australia, Fiji and
New Zealand.

Tomas  Isaksson remains President Global Platform and Internet
Services.

MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE
Vodafone  also  announces changes in  its  overall  management
structure   and  governance  process  to  reflect  the   rapid
expansion  of  the Group, which will soon be operating  in  29
countries over five continents.  Under the overall supervision
of  the  Main  Board,  the Group will  have  three  Management
Committees  which will oversee the execution  of  the  Board's
strategy and policy.

                                    RESPONSIBILITIES
                                    ----------------
GROUP EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE           Overall  financial performance  of
Chaired by Chris Gent               the   Group   in   fulfilment   of
                                    strategy,   plans   and   budgets;
                                    Group   capital   structure    and
                                    funding;    review    of     major
                                    acquisitions and disposals
                                    
GROUP OPERATIONAL REVIEW            Operational    performance     and
  COMMITTEE                         achievement  of  targets,  with  a
Chaired by Julian Horn-Smith        focus  on  the growth of non-voice
                                    services, global new products  and
                                    services,    brand    development,
                                    technology,  and  other  cost  and
                                    revenue   synergies   within   the
                                    Group's regions
                                    
GROUP POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE       Determination   of   policy    and
Chaired by Chris Gent               monitoring    of   non-operational
                                    areas   of   activity  which   are
                                    important  to  the  Group  overall
                                    (including  Finance, HR,  Investor
                                    Relations,    Legal,   Regulatory,
                                    Management     Development     and
                                    Corporate Affairs).

Chris   Gent,   Group  Chief  Executive  of  Vodafone,   said:
'Vodafone has undergone enormous change since we were  awarded
our  first licence to operate in the UK in 1983.  The last two
years  have  seen  the  Group  quadruple  in  size,  with  our
operations now spanning 5 continents and serving more than  78
million proportionate customers.  As we approach the launch of
a  new  generation  of technology and a  whole  new  range  of
products and services, it is critical we have management focus
on  the  rapid  and  effective deployment of  these  services,
whilst achieving our operational performance targets.

'The strengthened management structure that we are putting  in
place,  and the quality and experience of the team will ensure
that Vodafone remains at the forefront of its industry.'



NOTES TO EDITORS
Julian  Horn-Smith,  who has been Chief Executive  Officer  of
Vodafone's  Europe Region since June 2000, joined Vodafone  in
1984,   becoming  Marketing  Director  in  1986  and  Managing
Director  of  Vodapage  Ltd  in 1987.   Julian  was  appointed
Managing Director of Vodafone Group International Ltd  at  the
time of its formation in 1993 and joined the Board of Vodafone
Group Plc in June 1996.

THE BOARD OF VODAFONE GROUP PLC
Lord MacLaurin of Knebworth, DL        Non-Executive Chairman
Paul Hazen                             Non-Executive Deputy Chairman
Chris Gent                             Group Chief Executive
Julian Horn-Smith                      Group Chief Operating Officer
Peter Bamford                          Executive Director
Thomas Geitner                         Executive Director
Ken Hydon                              Group Financial Director
Dr Josef Ackermann                     Non-Executive Director
Michael Boskin                         Non-Executive Director
Sir Alec Broers                        Non-Executive Director
Penny Hughes                           Non-Executive Director
Arun Sarin                             Non-Executive Director
Sir David Scholey                      Non-Executive Director
Jurgen Schrempp                        Non-Executive Director
Dr Henning Schulte-Noelle              Non-Executive Director


The Group Executive Committee
Chris Gent (Chairman)                  Group Chief Executive
Julian Horn-Smith                      Group Chief Operating Officer
Ken Hydon                              Group Financial Director
Peter Bamford                          CEO Northern Europe, Middle
                                         East and Africa Region
Thomas Geitner                         CEO Group Products and Services
Vittorio Colao                         CEO Southern Europe Region
Brian Clark                            CEO Pacific Region
Alan Harper                            Group Strategy Director
Tomas Isaksson                         President Global Platform
                                         and Internet Services
Bill Keever                            President Americas and Asia
                                         Region
Jurgen von Kuczkowski                   CEO Central Europe Region
Stephen Scott                          Group Company Secretary
                                         and Legal Director
Phil Williams                          Group Human Resources
                                         Director

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Vodafone Group Plc
Tim Brown, Group Corporate Affairs Director
Melissa Stimpson, Head of Group Investor Relations
Jon Earl, Investor Relations Manager
Tel:  [phone]

Tavistock Communications
Lulu Bridges
Tel:  [phone]