Arun Sarin
PER
Arun Sarin Sarin
Softbank, the Japanese Internet company, will buy Vodafone's Japanese cellphone unit in a deal worth $15.4 billion, which will probably relieve some of the pressure on Vodafone's chief executive, Arun Sarin, who has faced boardroom turmoil and intense criticism from shareholders for the company's lackluster performance. Mr. Sarin said that given the relative competitive position of the business, the reduced prospects for superior long-term returns and a good offer from Softbank, the board took the decision to sell. The sale may take some of the pressure off Mr. Sarin to sell other Vodafone assets, like its 45 percent stake in Verizon Wireless, the cellphone company in the United States.