Vodafone: Salvato emerges as a possible replacement for Nick Read

Andrea Salvato, chief development officer at telecoms giant Liberty Global, has emerged as a possible replacement for Vodafone boss Nick Read.

City sources place him alongside likely candidates such as ex-EE boss Olaf Swantee and Stephen Carter, head of exhibitions organiser Informa.

Salvato, 52, is one of the top dealmakers at Liberty, an Anglo-Dutch-American conglomerate.

Previously at JP Morgan Chase’s investment banking division, he joined Liberty in 2005 and has been in his current role since 2012.

He has a reputation for orchestrating massive transactions at Liberty.

His appointment would send a clear signal that Vodafone was looking to strike big deals, something investors have been calling for.

‘If Salvato is in the frame, it clearly represents a statement of intent to get deals over the line,’ said telecoms analyst Paolo Pescatore. MSN