French operator SFR's CEO, Frank Esser, is preparing to step down, writes Le Figaro citing unnamed sources. Esser came from Mannesmann and has headed SFR since 2000. His possible departure is linked to SFR's loss of 200,000 subscribers since the launch of competitor Free Mobile. At parent company Vivendi's results presentation, chairman Jean-Bernard Levy said that SFR's operating profit was expected to decrease by 12 to 15 percent this year and that costs would have to be tightened. According to Le Figaro, SFR is now considering a total rethinking of its strategy, including cuttting prices, reorganising marketing offers, reviewing the business model and organisation. The newspaper did not say who Esser's successor might be.
