As it marks its 10th birthday, BT Openreach has announced that Clive Selley is to be its new CEO.
Selley is currently CEO of BT Technology, Service and Operations (BT TSO) and will replace Joe Garner, who is leaving to become CEO of Nationwide Building Society after just two years in the role. The handover will take place this quarter.
Selley specialises in networks, software development, IT and various forms of engineering and also acts as group chief information officer as well as CEO of BT TSO.
He is currently responsible for 12,000 staff, 8,000 thousand contractors and a multi-billion pound budget. He also chairs BT’s cyber security council and has an extensive knowledge of regulatory affairs.
Launched in 2006, Openreach is a regulated business that operates at arm’s length from the rest of BT Group. Its role is to manage, maintain and upgrade the tens of millions of lines that run from homes and businesses to telephone exchanges across the UK where they are then connected to operators’ core networks. BT’s core network is managed by BT TSO.
Openreach also manages the network on behalf of its commercial rivals, including TalkTalk, Sky and Virgin Media, among others.
“I am honoured to have been asked to lead Openreach at this important point in its history,” Selley said.
“The huge investment it has made over the past decade has made the UK a broadband leader, and we need to build on those foundations by deploying fibre to further communities and by rolling out ultrafast broadband. Customer service is a top priority of mine and I am committed to delivering further improvements by working closely with all industry partners who rely on our network to serve their customers.”
Gavin Patterson, BT Group CEO added: “Clive is a hugely talented individual and I am delighted he has agreed to lead Openreach. He has an unrivalled knowledge of networks and engineering and is ideally suited to take the UK from a superfast nation to an ultrafast one.
“He supports our vision for the UK’s digital future and will play a key role in ensuring that businesses, consumers and communities receive the services they need and deserve.”
