Hans Snook Executive of a wireless paging business (which subsequently became part of the Hutchison Whampoa Group). In 1992 Snook was despatched to the UK and closed Hutchison's Rabbit phone system; and instead turned efforts to developing the UK's fourth mobile phone network. On April 28, 1994 Orange was launched. Within five years Orange had developed an enviable reputation as well as a growing international presence. Mannesmann of Germany purchased Orange Plc, in a failed attempt to challenge Vodafone as the World's leading mobile phone company. This set off a chain of events which resulted in France Télécom taking ownership of Orange,
Hans Gerling Hans Gerling to sell the Gerling insurance business. He later recovered control of the company, which is now run by his son Rolf Gerling. Hans Gerling was inducted into the Insurance Hall of Fame in 2000, alongside Otto Von Bismarck, one of only seven Germans to be so honored in the history of the industry. Books and films about Hans Gerling Hans Gerling Hans Gerling (born June 6, 1915 in Cologne, † August 14, 1991) was a German businessman who headed the Gerling Konzern, one of Europe's largest insurance groups, from 1949 until his death. He was the second of