Aim of VodafoneZiggo/Telenet shake-ups clear as Stephen van Rooyen is appointed head of latest Ziggo Group; CFO of Dawn, Jany Fruytier, will turn out to be CFO of latest mixed group
Liberty Global is bringing VodafoneZiggo of the Netherlands and Belgium’s Telenet right into a single Benelux group. It should have a complete of round 13 million clients and €6.6 billion in income, as of the top of 2025. Each companies will proceed to function below their current manufacturers and management groups (see beneath).
Each Telenet and VodafoneZiggo have undergone adjustments in management and possession within the final couple of years. In October 2023, Liberty Global became the sole owner of Telenet and promptly delisted it. In February this 12 months, Liberty Global introduced it might acquire Vodafone’s 50% stake in VodafoneZiggo for €1 billion. Liberty Global already holds the opposite 50%.
Now Stephen van Rooyen (pictured), the present CEO of VodafoneZiggo within the Netherlands, will continues with these duties and turn out to be CEO of Ziggo Group from 1 September. Jany Fruytier, the present CFO of Dawn, will turn out to be CFO of the brand new mixed group on the identical day.
The 2 will “lead preparations for the deliberate listing of Ziggo Group in Amsterdam” which is anticipated to be on Euronext in 2027. It’s proposed that 90% of shares can be distributed to Liberty Global shareholders and 10% owned by Vodafone because of the pending transaction concerning change of possession in VodafoneZiggo as outlined above.
Protected pairs of arms
Van Rooyen brings European telecoms and media management expertise to the function and has led a turnaround at VodafoneZiggo over the previous 18 months. Since his appointment in September 2024, he led a turnaround within the enterprise, together with decrease churn, a refreshed model, the launch of latest buyer merchandise and the strongest fixed-line efficiency in practically three years.
John Porter continues as CEO of Telenet, which has simply delivered its strongest quarterly broadband efficiency in 10 years. He beforehand spent greater than 17 years at Sky, the place he served as CEO of Sky UK & Eire and Chief Business Officer of the Sky Group.
Jany Fruytier has been CFO of Dawn in Switzerland since 2020, and “performed a key function” within the progress and public listing of Liberty Global’s Swiss enterprise, which “has delivered important shareholder returns” in accordance to Lilbery Global’s public assertion.
He was liable for executing and monitoring the merger and integration of Dawn and UPC, making certain the supply of focused price and income synergies and monitoring the associated monetary advantages, in accordance to an announcement by Dawn. These efforts helped strengthen the aggressive place of the corporate within the Swiss market.
Releasing worth to shareholders
The rationale is that the “new stand-alone group will present sharper strategic and monetary focus and a sturdy capital construction, giving Ziggo Group the agility to spend money on revolutionary merchandise and buyer companies, ship digital-first buyer experiences and reply extra shortly to evolving buyer wants”.
The listing will even present native buyers with the chance to spend money on a regional telecoms enterprise combining two converged nationwide operators, with robust buyer propositions and a compelling outlook free of charge money circulation era and worth creation over time.
Mike Fries, Liberty Global’s Chairman and CEO, stated, “The creation of Ziggo Group is a transparent step in the direction of unlocking the worth in our Benelux telecoms enterprise for shareholders, ” which has lengthy been a cornerstone of Fries’ stated strategy.
He continued, “Stephen’s pan-European management expertise and monitor file of operational transformation, mixed with Jany’s monetary experience and expertise from the Dawn listing, give us the precise crew to ship this. Collectively, they are going to lead two extremely complementary companies, and we see important alternatives in what these two robust manufacturers can obtain collectively.”
Stronger Benelux platform?
Van Rooyen acknowledged, “I’m energised to tackle this new function. Having led the turnaround at VodafoneZiggo over the previous 18 months, I see a transparent alternative in bringing VodafoneZiggo and Telenet collectively below Ziggo Group. These are two robust, domestically rooted companies, and by working extra carefully collectively we will construct a good stronger platform for purchasers throughout the Benelux. Collectively, we’ll proceed to elevate the bar on buyer expertise, innovation and progress within the area.”
Porter added, “The event of Ziggo Group creates big alternatives to generate extra power and economies of scale on the Benelux degree, whereas on the identical time permitting us to preserve our native course and buyer focus. I look ahead to working carefully with Stephen to assist construct that subsequent part.”
