PARIS -- At its meeting on 23 February, the Board of Directors of France Telecom formally noted Didier Lombard's decision to hand over his responsibilities as Chairman and, as proposed by the Group's Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility Committee, named Stephane Richard to the role of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer with effect from 1 March 2011.

The Board recorded its appreciation for the exemplary way in which the transition has been conducted between the outgoing and incoming Chairmen and extended its thanks to Didier Lombard for his contribution to the Group over many years.

Didier Lombard becomes Special Adviser to Stephane Richard on the strategic options and technological outlook for the Group.

Appointed as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in February 2005, Didier Lombard guided France Telecom to a position as one of the world's leading telecoms operators in terms of technological expertise and as measured by its financial strength. Crucially, he took the Group firmly into the internet and IP age across both its fixed and mobile networks and was also a leading proponent of the convergence between these networks and the full range of digital devices.

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