UK-based mobile operator Vodafone announced a reshuffling of its top brass on Tuesday.

As of October 1, Michel Combes will join Vodafone as CEO of the Europe Region unit. Combes comes over from French operation TDF, where he was chairman and CEO. He also has previous as senior management at France Telecom.

Meanwhile the EMAPA regional unit will be split into two divisions – Central Europe/Africa and Asia-Pacific. Two new regional CEOs will be announced in due course.

Incidentally, Paul Donovan, current CEO of the EMAPA region, is leaving Vodafone at the end of this year.

In yet another move, Terry Kramer will immediately step up to become the group Strategy and Business Improvement director, tasked with establishing productivity and efficiency gains across the group. He will also continue in his current role as group HR director whilst the company conducts a search for his successor.

In a related move, which highlights the importance of Voda’s much discussed stake in US operator Verizon Wireless, the company said the investment will now be managed directly by head honcho Vittorio Colao.