Mobile phone giant Vodafone held talks with Virgin Mobile over a possible takeover just months before its stock market debut, it was reported today.

Former Vodafone boss Christopher Gent was yesterday named by GlaxoSmithKline as successor to chairman Christopher Hogg.

Mobile phone giant Vodafone reported annual profits of £10bn (€14.9bn) today after sales increased by 10% during the year to £33.6bn (€50bn).

Vodafone shareholders were handed a boost today after the mobile phone group raised its dividend 20% and set aside £2.5bn (€3.6bn) to buy back shares.

Vodafone boss Christopher Gent today unveiled underlying profits of £8.43bn (€11.66bn) in his final full year at the helm of the mobile phone giant.

Mobile telephone giant Vodafone grew its customer base to 112.5 million people in the fourth quarter of 2002, as it signed up more than four million new users, the group said today.

Reports in the Financial Times have indicated that mobile operator Vodafone could sell off up to half of its 45 per cent stake in US company Verizon Wireless.

MOBILE phone giant Vodafone charged to its highest close for nearly six months today after half-year results beat expectations.

Mobile phone giant Vodafone charged to its highest close for nearly six months today after half-year results beat expectations.

Mobile phone giant Vodafone smashed expectations today by posting a 41% jump in underlying pre-tax profits for the first half of the year.

Mobile phone giant Vodafone today said it had made a ‘‘positive start’’ to its current financial year despite a fall in the size of its UK customer base.

GlaxoSmithKline boss Jean-Pierre Garnier is reported to have become the highest paid FTSE 100 executive.

The future of Vizzavi - the £1bn (€1.56bn) internet joint venture between Vivendi Universal and Vodafone Group PLC - was uncertain this weekend as the cash crisis at Vivendi worsened and the online group was forced to appoint an emergency chairman, it was claimed today.

Vodafone's UK chief executive Christopher Gent has been awarded the second half of his controversial bonus £1.5m (€2.4m) share package, it was disclosed today.

Vodafone says it added 1.3 million customers worldwide in the first quarter of this year.

Vodafone and Japan Telecom plan to form a single company to challenge NTT DoCoMo's dominance of the Japanese market.