BT Group UK Picks Gavin Patterson to Succeed Ian Livingston as CEO

BT Group has today selected the current CEO of its BTRetail division, Gavin Patterson, to take over the running of its telecoms and broadband empire from September 2013 after Ian Livingston decided that a role in government as the ‘Minister of State for Trade and Investment’ would apparently be more interesting.

Livingston, whom was asked by the Prime Minister, David Cameron, to take on the role in order to help improve “the country’s future economic success“, said that it was an “incredibly hard decision to leave BT at such an exciting time” but that he was “immensely proud to have led [BT] over the last five years“.

Sir Michael Rake, Chairman of BT, added:

“Ian has done a tremendous job in transforming BT. His decision to accept a government post demonstrates the sense of public service which many of us know to be characteristic. He leaves behind him a very capable team, one which will take forward the strategy that has served BT well and which lays out the path to further success.”

Gavin Patterson said:

“It is a privilege to have been offered the position of chief executive of BT Group, and I am delighted to accept. The company is in a strong place. We have great opportunities ahead and are well placed to take advantage of them, in the UK and internationally. We have the people, the technology and the plans we need to build on our current successes. I look forward to leading a dynamic team to ensure we do just that.”

A precise date for when Ian Livingston will step down from his current position as CEO and on BT’s Board has not been set (outside of a rough September date) but it is known that his new “front-bench” role in government will not begin until December 2013 (after he has first joined the House of Lords).

As a side note, Gavin Patterson has served as CEO of BT Retail and as a BT Board member since 2008, although he originally joined its consumer division as a Managing Director (MD) in 2004. Prior to that Patterson had spent four years at Telewest, which later merged with NTL to become Virgin Media, in senior positions including as an MD.