Directorate Change

Vodafone Group Plc
05 December 2005


5 December 2005

              SIR JOHN BOND TO SUCCEED LORD MACLAURIN AS CHAIRMAN

Vodafone Group Plc today announces that Lord MacLaurin of Knebworth, DL, the
Chairman of the Company, will be retiring from the Board at the Company's AGM in
July 2006. He will be succeeded as Chairman by Sir John Bond, currently Group
Chairman of HSBC Holdings Plc and a non-executive director of Vodafone. Sir John
will be retiring from HSBC in May 2006.

Ian MacLaurin has had a distinguished business career and joined Vodafone as a
non-executive director in 1997, becoming Chairman in July 1998. In his 9 years
with the Company he has served twice as Chairman, as he stepped down on the
merger with AirTouch Communications Inc in 1999, resuming his role a year later.
He was formerly Chairman and Chief Executive of Tesco Plc and has held
non-executive roles in a number of FTSE-100 companies. Outside the world of
business he has been Chairman of the England & Wales Cricket Board and is now
Chairman of the Sport Honours Committee.

Upon his retirement from the Board, Lord MacLaurin will become an adviser to the
Company. He will also become Chairman of the Vodafone Group Foundation, an
independent charitable trust set up to administer charitable and other donations
on behalf of the Company.

Arun Sarin, Chief Executive of Vodafone, said:

'Ian MacLaurin has made a huge contribution to the success of Vodafone. He has
been an outstanding Chairman and has overseen the transition of the business
from a UK operator to a major global company. In 1997 we had just 4 million
customers in 12 markets and now have over 170 million in 27 markets. Ian has
overseen this transformation with great distinction. His deep customer
experience, his understanding of marketing and his commercial drive have been
very significant influences in the development of the Company.

I am very pleased that he has accepted our invitation to become an adviser and I
will personally value his continuing links with Vodafone and the ambassadorial
role he will play.'

In a career spanning 44 years with HSBC Sir John Bond has worked in six
countries in three continents. He was appointed Group Chief Executive in 1993
and Group Chairman in 1998. Sir John, who is also a non-executive Director of
Ford Motor Company, was Chairman of the Institute of International Finance,
Washington DC for five years, and was on the Court of the Bank of England from
2001 to 2004.

Commenting on the appointment of Sir John Bond as his successor, Lord MacLaurin
said:

'I am delighted that John Bond will be succeeding me as Chairman of Vodafone. He
is an outstandingly successful international businessman and his track record at
HSBC speaks for itself. Succession planning at Vodafone is a critical element in
how we run our business and after nine years on the Board I believe that this is
the right time for me to hand over.'

Sir John Bond commented:

'It is an honour and a privilege to be invited by the Board of Vodafone to
become its Chairman. I am looking forward greatly to this new challenge, to
contributing to another company with a remarkable record of success, and to
building on Ian MacLaurin's outstanding achievements.'

                                    - ends -

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