Busy, bruising five years

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

After all, he was taking over from Sir Christopher Gent, the man largely credited with building the world's biggest mobile phone company, at a time when it needed a steady hand to counter its rapid growth of the preceding years.

But in less than two years the knives were out and if they were not actually handled by Gent, his presence could be detected. Sarin had entered and withdrawn from a bitter bid battle for AT&T Wireless, America's third-largest mobile company. He said he wouldn't overpay and didn't.

Instead, he took the company East with acquisitions in Romania, the Czech Republic, Turkey and India. He also concentrated, as investors wanted, on managing the business, selling bits where Vodafone did not have a dominant position, cutting costs and axeing management posts.

In his five years, Vodafone's customer base has doubled to 240 million and returns to shareholders have risen fivefold.