Vodafone’s chief executive, Margherita Della Valle, highlights the growing risks to Europe’s submarine cables, and calls for international cooperation to ensure the security and resilience of digital infrastructure. Addressing the recent threats posed by Russia, she calls for cross-border collaboration, and the implications for national and European security.

Discussing the impact of the merger with Three, Della Valle examines the UK’s persistent “not spots”—areas with little or no mobile coverage—and the company’s commitment to eliminating these gaps through an £11billion pound investment. Della Valle also notes that Vodafone is set to launch a rival to Elon Musk's Starlink in 2026, providing total broadband coverage to the UK via satellite to standard mobile phones. Launching this first in the UK, she says you will even be able to get the internet at sea and in the most remote parts of the UK.

The demands of artificial intelligence on telecoms infrastructure are also addressed, with Della Valle acknowledging that while progress has been made, the UK’s mobile networks are not yet fully prepared to support the scale and speed required for widespread AI adoption.

The interview also addresses the reduction in the number of female chief executives in the FTSE 100, and the ongoing challenges faced by women in senior roles, with

00:00 Sean Farrington and Will Bain introduce BBI

Presenter: Will Bain