Vodafone has begun looking for a new chairman to replace John Bond, who has held the role for the past five years, the Guardian reported. The chairman has come under heavy criticism over the mobile phone group's strategy. Bond faced down a minor investor revolt at the most recent annual meeting last month, when more than 6.5 percent of shareholders opposed his re-election. The protest vote was led by the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, which accused Vodafone of a disastrous series of acquisitions and demanded that Bond be replaced. The company has hired Anna Mann, the City recruitment expert to search for a new chairman. One person familiar with the situation told the Financial Times that Vodafone's decision to start to look for a new chairman was made before Ontario Teachers' intervention, but added that the investor criticism had brought "a bit of urgency" to the move. Bond, a former chairman of HSBC, had told colleagues he had always intended to stay at Vodafone for six years, this person said. He joined as a non-executive director in 2005, and became chairman in 2006. Vodafone declined to comment on his position as chairman. Bond told the group's annual meeting in July that Vodafone had succession plans in place for all its board members, including himself.
