Clarification of the roles was needed felt internally

Didier Lombard ultimately decided: the current President and CEO of France Telecom will allow power to his second, Stéphane Richard, as early as March 1. The Board of Directors of 24 February, originally called to validate the results of the year 2009, will decide on the dissociation of the functions of Chairman and Managing Director. Didier Lombard, who had been the estate of Thierry Breton in February 2005, agreed after days of discussions to put this issue to the agenda. It will then become non-Executive Chairman of the historic operator. Stéphane Richard, arrived in September, will be, appointed Director General. The Group formalized last night this imminent change in governance in a release. Since a few weeks, the former Director of Office of Christine Lagarde wanted to accelerate this transition to have free rein in the operator. Because, initially, Didier Lombard should leave France Telecom that in spring 2011. But, after the suicide of autumn crisis last, Didier Lombard was weakened internally and his public image suffered. Many were those who believed his position untenable in the long term. It became difficult for him to embody the future and the major project that he was preparing. "Clarification of the roles" was needed, felt internally. Even if all decisions were taken in consultation with Stéphane Richard, Didier Lombard decided yet until these last days of the guidelines involving the future of the company... well after he left. Former skipper of Veolia Transport, Stéphane Richard should quickly be his staff. Louis-Pierre Wenes, responsible for activities in France November, thanked and nobody has really replaced it. Barbara Dalibard, responsible for business activities, it also left the group, with successor.

Then, the future Director General will have to redefine the social policy of the operator in France after the serious crisis that the Group was known. It must restore confidence in the French employees 102.000. Then, big files it await. Investments in fiber optics, which totalled in EUR billion, will have to be presented soon. The audiovisual content strategy will also be place on the Office of Stéphane Richard.

An Honourable exit door

Last week, he openly questioned in Reuters on the choice of his predecessor. "Is there a vocation of France Telecom edit television" "There is a question that is open," he asked. "The vocation of France Telecom is not to propose the best content, wherever they come to his offers, in a world where the exclusives will be more difficult to prati quer" There, a discount flat investments is expected. The tactic in the mobile to counter the arrival of Free and international expansion under the Orange banner are also of the subjects on which he will have to decide.

Transferring orders to Stéphane Richard, Didier Lombard is an Honourable exit door. And as President, he hopes to continue to weigh on the strategy of the group.

In an e-mail sent to all employees, Didier Lombard explains that "technological change and competition very vivid ...". "call a new project for our company." This techie boss thanked the employees of the telecoms operator have implemented "a strategy of convergence and operator integrated ..." "with a brio impresses me every day." It reiterated also its confidence in Stéphane Richard, "in his ability to listen...