“When you are active as a telecommunications operator, it is a permanent investment. Because network providers will always be necessary, whatever the technologies developed in the coming decades,” Xavier Niel declared on Sunday at the NZZ on Sunday.
Salt feels very good in the Swiss environment as a challenger. “Why should we leave?” asks the 57-year-old owner. Salt is the third largest mobile operator in Switzerland and recently had 1.76 million customers. In the first half of 2024, it continued to grow.
The Swiss are less sensitive to prices, noted Xavier Niel. “The Swiss love their country, that’s understandable. If there is the word “Swiss” somewhere, that company automatically has an advantage.” Whether it’s an airline or an operator. “Maybe in Switzerland we also need a name like this, which has something to do with ‘Swiss’.”
Salt belongs to the company NJJ Capital, owned by Xavier Niel. The entrepreneur’s son-in-law Bernard Arnault bought Orange in 2014 from financial investor Apax for 2.8 billion francs. He then renamed it Salt.