Vodafone Group Plc announces the appointment of Shiro Tsuda as the next President and Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone K.K., with effect from 1 December 2004.

From today, Shiro Tsuda will act as Executive Officer for Vodafone Holdings K.K. and Vodafone K.K. until he assumes his new position.

Shiro Tsuda joined Nippon Telephone and Telegraph Public Corporation (now NTT) in 1970, becoming General Manager of the Company's Mobile Communications Division in 1990, helping to establish the mobile phone project that later became NTT DoCoMo. In 1992 he became involved in corporate strategy as Planning Division Manager. He was appointed a member of the NTT DoCoMo Board in 1996 as Corporate Planning Director and Senior Vice President and Network Division Director in April 2000, in which position he headed the launch of FOMA, the world's first 3G mobile network based on W-CDMA technology in October 2001.

Dr. Brian Clark, Chief Executive, Vodafone Asia Pacific Region and Chairman of Vodafone K.K., will relinquish his position as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone K.K. on 30 November 2004.

Arun Sarin, Vodafone's Chief Executive, said: "Shiro Tsuda is the ideal candidate to spearhead the next phase of Vodafone K.K.'s growth. We are delighted that an individual of his stature will lead Vodafone K.K.; he brings considerable experience of the mobile telecommunications industry, together with an extensive knowledge of the Japanese business and consumer markets to Vodafone."

For further information:

Vodafone Group
Tim Brown, Group Corporate Affairs Director
Tel: +44 (0) 1635 673310

Investor Relations
Melissa Stimpson
Darren Jones
Tel: +44 (0) 1635 673310

Media Relations
Bobby Leach
Jon Earl
Tel: +44 (0) 1635 673310

Tavistock Communications
Lulu Bridges
Justin Griffiths
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7920 3150