Mark Odell / London December 05, 2005

Sir John Bond, who is retiring from HSBC next year, has emerged as a leading candidate to replace Lord MacLaurin as chairman of Vodafone, the world’s largest mobile phone operator. This week, Sir John said he would step down as chairman of the world’s third largest financial group next May after a 45-year career at the bank. The move prompted speculation in the City he was being lined up to replace his counterpart at Vodafone. Rumours started earlier in the year that Vodafone was searching for a replacement for Lord MacLaurin, 68, who is coming to the end of his tenure as chairman.

Sir John, who joined the board of the mobile phone operator in January this year, is no stranger to the mobile phone industry, serving as non-executive director of Orange between 1996 and 1999. Sir John, 64, is seen as an ideal replacement for Lord MacLaurin, although some analysts questioned whether he is too old.

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