BT’S head of strategy to step down

SEAN WILLIAMS, BT’S chief strategy officer, is leaving the company amid a wider restructuring of the telecoms giant.

The responsibilities of Mr Williams, who leads the group’s strategy, regulation and policy unit, will, it is understood, be taken over by a new role in the coming months. He joined BT in 2008 from regulator Ofcom, where he was a board director. BT has seen a number of senior departures over the past 18 months, including its chairman, finance director, head of corporate affairs and head of investor relations.

The group is also in the process of a legal separation from its network unit Openreach, signing a deal in March with Ofcom.

Investors have been spooked by other problems including a black hole in the accounts of the company’s Italian business and a record £42m fine for delays in installing fibre-optic cables for rivals.

Jan du Plessis, a former chairman of mining group Rio Tinto, will take over as chairman from departing group chairman Sir Mike Rake in November.

BT’S share price has plummeted by 24pc over the past 12 months, closing last night at 304.25p.