BT Group CEO Philip Jansen (pictured) informed the company’s board of directors he intends to leave the role in the next 12 months, with a succession plan already underway.

Rumours about a potential change at the top began in March this year and BT chairman Adam Crozier stated the board was “well prepared for” a succession process to replace Jansen.

“All appropriate candidates are being considered, We expect to be able to update the market on progress over the course of the summer,” he added.

Jansen took the helm at BT in February 2019 and had a major focus on fibre investment during his time at the company, as well as overseeing the operator’s response to the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, restructuring its enterprise units and a spin-off of its sports broadcaster into a joint venture with Warner Bros Discovery.

The company has also cut costs within its business and recently revealed plans to reduce its workforce by up to 55,000 by the end of March 2030.

Meanwhile, French billionaire Patrick Drahi has has built up a stake of 25 per cent in BT under Jansen’s watch.

On his departure, Jansen said the company had made a lot of progress over his tenure, pointing to investment in both the company’s and the UK’s future.

“We’re building like fury, have now passed over 11 million homes with fibre, have got 5G service to 68 per cent of the country and our customer service is much improved. This is creating a much stronger BT Group which is starting to drive growth for both investors and the UK.”

Successor
With regards to a successor, Kester Mann, director of consumer and connectivity at CCS Insight, believes a new CEO will be named within weeks, but there appears to be no “obvious initial candidate to take it on”.

Paolo Pescatore, founder of PP Foresight, said Jansen’s departure had been on the cards for some time, while describing Marc Allera, the company’s consumer chief as a “prime candidate”.

Bloomberg also reported that Allera has been considered by the company as a successor in recent months.