Name Graham Howe | Role Businessman | |
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Similar Hans Snook, Tom Alexander (businessman), David Dyson (businessman) | ||
Graham Edward Howe (born 23 May 1961) is a British entrepreneur and businessman who founded Orange UK, with Hans Snook.
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Early life
He was born in St Albans.
He went to St Albans Grammar School for Boys (now known since 1975 as the comprehensive Verulam School), and later attended the University of Birmingham where he obtained a Bachelor of Commerce.
Career
Hans Snook had the ideas for Orange in the UK, when it was originally owned by Hutchison Whampoa, who would later found Three. It was Graham Howe who would get the company off the ground. They met in 1992. Orange UK launched in April 1994. It floated on the London Stock Exchange and on the Nasdaq in April 1996.
In October 1999, Orange UK was bought for £21bn by Düsseldorf-based Mannesmann AG, then run by Klaus Esser. In early 2000, Vodafone bought Mannesmann in a hostile takeover, and Vodafone was forced to sell Orange UK, which was bought by France Telecom (now known since August 2000 as Orange S.A.) for £26bn.
On 7 May 2002, he became Chief Operating Officer of Orange S.A. having been Chief Financial Officer of the Group (former France Telecom). He left as deputy Chief Executive of Orange S.A. on 24 March 2003 when Jean-François Pontal also retired as Chief Executive.
Personal life
He is married to Jane, and has three sons (born June 1993, March 1996, and October 1998). He lives in Harpenden, home of the former Sir Edward Salisbury FRS, the famous botanist. He married Caroline Jane Doyle on 28 December 1991 in Bradford.