Arun Sarin, former chief of world-leading carrier Vodafone has reappeared as a senior advisor to his old employer –investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR).

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Ex-Vodafone Chief Arun Sarin Returns To Investment Firm Kkr

Sarin, 54, has spent most of his career bouncing between the two firms. After joining Pacific Telesis Group (PacTel), one of the Baby Bells, in 1984 he was instrumental in the spinning off of the operator’s wireless unit and the subsequent creation of AirTouch.

AirTouch merged with Vodafone in 1999, with Sarin taking responsibility for Vodafone US and Asia Pacific. He left Vodafone in 2000 to work as a senior advisor to KKR, and rejoined the operator as CEO in 2003.

Sarin stepped down from his post at Vodafone in 2008 after five years at the helm, to be succeeded by then deputy chief executive Vittorio Colao.

Having survived a boardroom fracas and shareholder dissent in 2006, the Indian born American turned his fortune around in 2007 with his strategy of moving Vodafone into India via the acquisition of Hutchison Essar to offset the slowing growth in its mature businesses.

KKR has a not insignificant presence in the communications space, with investments in Bharti Infratel, broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1, Seven Media and Danish operator TDC among others.