Orange bosses hailed gains in its financial performance across 2024, a year in which the operator group recorded commercial momentum across all its markets and chiefs highlighted a continued tight grip on costs.

Executives mostly concerned themselves with annual EBITDAal gains, which CEO Cristel Heydemann stated met Orange’s objectives for the year.

The CEO was also bullish on revenue performance, also in line with its targets. The metrics “clearly demonstrate the successful execution of our Lead the Future strategic plan”, Heydemann commented.

Orange achieved “strong commercial momentum across all geographies”. Heydemann also pointed to the creation of MasOrange in Spain and the operator’s involvement in providing connectivity for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics as highlights of the year.

A return to EBITDAal growth in France was significant, with the market being one of the toughest in Europe for a number of years.

In Orange’s Africa and Middle East operations, mobile data, fixed broadband, B2B and Orange Money were “growth engines”, Heydemann said.

“Orange Business continued to reposition itself in line with the growing use of digital technology,” with its Cyberdefence unit continuing a “trend of strong revenue growth”.

The company built a solid staff foundation in France with the signing of an employment and professional development agreement with unions earlier this week, establishing a three-year framework enabling it to “train, recruit and support our teams to best respond to changes in our competitive and technological environment”.

Net income attributable to shareholders fell 3.7 per cent year-on-year to €2.4 billion and the consolidated figure was flat at €2.9 billion.

Revenue of €40.2 billion was up 1.2 per cent on a comparable basis.