French telecom entrepreneur Xavier Niel has agreed to acquire a 16.2 percent stake in Vodafone Group in a deal worth approximately £4.4 billion (€5.1 billion), making his investment vehicle, Vega, the company’s largest shareholder once regulatory approvals are secured…
The move is particularly significant for Monaco, where Niel has been the majority shareholder of Monaco Telecom since 2014. Through his wider European telecommunications portfolio, Monaco Telecom sits alongside operators including iliad, Salt, Eir, Tele2 and Millicom, creating one of Europe’s largest privately backed telecoms groups. Together, these businesses serve around 139 million customers across 26 countries.
Beyond telecommunications, Niel has also played a role in Monaco’s innovation ecosystem through the creation of MonacoTech, the Principality’s startup incubator developed in partnership with the Monegasque Government.
Niel said Vodafone’s strong brands, extensive European and African operations and renewed strategic focus made it an attractive long-term investment. He stressed that Vega intends to act as a supportive minority shareholder and has no plans to launch a takeover bid.
For Monaco, the investment further underlines the international reach of one of its most important strategic companies. As Vodafone embarks on its next phase of growth, Monaco Telecom will remain part of a telecommunications network led by one of Europe’s most influential industry investors, reinforcing the Principality’s position within the sector’s evolving landscape.