Arun Sarin has long been considered the most powerful person of Asian origin working in the British media sphere by this magazine. But the chief executive of Vodafone, a company that is certain to be a big player in the growing mobile media and advertising market, announced yesterday that he was planning to step down.

The Guardian reports today:

Arun Sarin is making a surprise early exit from the chief executive’s job at Vodafone after five years in which he has suffered boardroom whispers about his management style, seen off a shareholder revolt over strategy, resuscitated the company’s operations in Europe and secured a vital place in the booming Indian market.
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Sarin said yesterday that he has enjoyed his time at Vodafone “enormously” but reckons it is time to take a break. “I am 53½ and what is clear to me is I would like to take a little sabbatical. I have been working since 1978. But if you ask me am I going to just retire, I think I have one more thing left in me.”

Most likely, Arun Sarin wanted to leave the company on a high and with his reputation firmly intact after facing significant troubles last year from shareholders. We hope he will be back soon.