Chris Gent, the chairman of Vodafone AirTouch, yesterday stamped his authority on the newly merged Mannesman operation when he installed international director Julian Horn-Smith as its head and appointed several leading German businessman to its board.

Mr Horn-Smith replaces Mannesmann chief executive Klaus Esser, who steps down from the company at its shareholder meeting on June 5.

Mr Esser, who is expected to pocket at least £20.5m on his departure, will take up the non-executive deputy chairman role at Vodafone.

Vodafone also announced it had appointed Henning Schulte-Noelle, chairman of German insurance company Allianz, to its board as non-executive director together with Jürgen Schrempp, chairman of car maker Daimler Chrysler.

Joseph Ackermann head of investment banking at Deutsche Bank, joins the board in the same position.

At the time of €170bn (£99bn) merger, Vodafone announced it would give several of the non-executive directors from Mannesmann's supervisory board representation at Vodafone.

Analysts had been expecting Mr Horn-Smith's appointment to the top Mannesmann position given his successful track record in forging Vodafone's global strategy. He has been responsible for the company's arms in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.