Vittorio Colao, aged 51, spent the early part of his career working for McKinsey in Italy, where he was made a Partner, working in the media, telecommunications and industrial goods sectors and leading the office Finance practice and consultant recruitment until 1996. Vittorio also worked briefly at Morgan Stanley in London and at Mondadori Editore, an Italian publisher.

Vittorio joined Omnitel Pronto Italia, Italy's second mobile operator, as Chief Operating Officer in 1996. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 1999, and Regional CEO, Southern Europe for Vodafone Group Plc. in 2001, following the acquisition of the business by Mannesmann first and Vodafone later. He became a member of the Board of Directors of Vodafone Group Plc. in 2002 and was subsequently appointed Regional CEO for Southern Europe, Middle East and Africa in 2003.

In 2004, he left Vodafone to become Chief Executive Officer of RCS MediaGroup, the leading Italian publishing company.

He returned to Vodafone Group Plc in 2006 as Chief Executive Officer, Europe and Deputy Group CEO, and as a member of the Board of Directors. Vittorio was then appointed Chief Executive of Vodafone Group Plc in July 2008.

Vittorio has been a Non-executive Director and member of the Remuneration Committee of RAS Insurance, then listed on the Milan stock Exchange (now merged with Allianz SE), and was previously a Non-executive Director and Chairman of the Remuneration Committee of Finmeccanica, the Italian listed defence and aerospace conglomerate.

During his tenure at RCS, he was also a member of the Board and the Executive Committee of the European Oncology Institute in Milan.

Currently, he is a member of the Board of Fondazione CAF in Milan (a charity active with children under legal protection) and is also a member of the International Advisory Boards of Bocconi University, McKinsey&Co and the Oxford Martin School.

Vittorio holds a Business Administration Degree cum Laude from Bocconi University and an MBA with Honors from the Harvard Business School.

Vittorio is a keen skier and cyclist and a semi-retired windsurfer.