Rural FTTP Community Broadband ISP B4RN Appoints New CEO

The community focused broadband ISP B4RN (Broadband for the Rural North) has today announced that Michael Lee is being appointed to become their new CEO. Michael replaces the provider’s former founder and CEO, Barry Forde, in the role (he retired at the end of last year) and thus has some fairly big boots to fill.

The new boss is a Chartered Engineer who hails from Lancashire and studied engineering at Cambridge. His early career was in the army, where he served initially with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and then with the Royal Dragoon Guards. His post-military career has largely been with specialist consultancy companies, which involved a considerable focus in defence-related work (there’s no mention of any telecoms experience).

As it stands today B4RN have already connected well over 7,300 properties to their full fibre network and their current footprint “under build” is around 30,000 properties (many due for completion within 12 months). After that the future aim is to reach 40,000 properties passed by 31st March 2022 and possibly c.70,000 by 2025/26. Michael will no doubt have his work cut out when he formally assumes the role on 15th February 2021.

Michael Lee, B4RN’s New CEO, said:

“What I really hope is that you’ve all invested in B4RN for the same reason I was so absolutely delighted to accept this role.

For me, that’s based on a genuine belief that every household is better off with a B4RN connection. That’s not just because of the speed, but what it means for the communities to have come together in the first place to deliver B4RN.

I hope there are going to be many days when I can get my wellies on, get out in the fields, and get a bit muddy!”

We should add that B4RN has been busy building its gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network to rural homes since 2012 and is registered as a Community Benefit Society (i.e. it can’t be bought by a commercial operator and profits are distributed back into the community). The provider is currently focused upon some very remote parts of Lancashire, Cheshire, Cumbria, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk and Yorkshire.