Jacques Aschenbroich

Our aim is clear: to transform the Orange group, to make it more resilient, more efficient, and put it on a growth trajectory in an extremely competitive European market. This is the objective of our “Lead the Future” strategic plan, presented and implemented by Christel Heydemann following its approval by the Board of Directors. 

This ambitious yet realistic plan has enabled us to refocus our activities on our core business and strengthen our operational excellence, the quality of our networks, and the service we provide to our customers in order to fully valorize our infrastructures. One year on, it is clear that “Orange is here” and moving forward. All the targets announced for 2023 have been met or even exceeded, putting us on a solid track to achieve those set for 2025. 

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to express my continued confidence in Christel Heydemann, our CEO, and her bolstered Executive Committee. 

I would also like to extend my gratitude to all Orange employees for their exceptional commitment to the success of our plan. Every day, meeting with our teams in France and across all our subsidiaries, I see this commitment in action. And it is further validated by the results of our global survey, “Voice Up”, which shows Orange at a satisfactory level—especially in France—compared to our CAC 40 peers. Our teams take pride in being part of Orange, they are content with their workplace environment, and they are fully invested in our company’s success within a fiercely competitive landscape. 

Across all our regions, we face heightened competition in an environment where current regulations and regulatory frameworks are no longer adequate. We are actively working to update the European regulatory framework to better reflect the evolving needs of our sector, particularly the need for consolidation. In this realm, we have achieved significant milestones with our consolidation efforts: in Romania, partnering with the historic operator Telekom Romania; in Belgium with cable operator Voo; and more recently in Spain, following the European Commission’s approval of our joint venture with MásMóvil. These moves will reinforce and expand our foothold across Europe. 

To support these ambitions, Orange has a robust governance. The Board of Directors, under my leadership, consists of dedicated members with complementary expertises. In 2023, we further bolstered the Board by appointing Gilles Grapinet to the audit committee and Momar Nguer, whose expertise naturally spans Senegal and the entire Africa and Middle East region. 

Looking ahead, we must continue to push forward and strengthen the “Lead the Future” plan to ensure sustainable growth in France, even with the phasing out of copper by 2030. Additionally, we will persist in realigning and revitalizing Orange Business by integrating cutting-edge technologies—especially AI and cybersecurity—into the essential connectivity solutions for our clients. Moreover, we will strive to sustain Orange’s momentum in Africa and the Middle East with our highly capable local teams. Finally, we will harness the full power of these emerging technologies to modernize our networks and introduce innovative services to our customers.