Gerard Kleisterlee

John Gerard Kleisterlee ( born September 28, 1946 in Ludwigsburg ) is a German - Dutch manager and current chairman of Vodafone Group.

Life

Kleisterlee was born the son of a German mother and a Dutch father in Ludwigsburg near Stuttgart. Growing up is Kleisterlee in the Netherlands. His training as an electrical engineer, he graduated at the Eindhoven University of Technology. He worked - like his father - for Philips.

From 1981 to 1986 he was General Manager of Philips Professional Audio Product Group. In 1986, Kleisterlee to Philips Components. In 1994 he was responsible as Director of Philips Display Components for the global business. He became chief of Philips Taiwan and Regional Manager of Philips Components for the Asian region in 1996. During the period from September 1997 to June 1998 he was also responsible for all activities of Philips in China. From 2001 to 2011 was Kleisterlee President and CEO of Philips before he handed over his duties to his successor Frans van Houten on April 1, 2011.

On 26 July 2011 he was Chairman of the Vodafone Group.