Verizon group president Ronan Dunne became the latest executive rumoured to have met with BT about its CEO position, with Proximus chief Dominique Leroy also said to be in the running.

The Telegraph reported former O2 UK boss Dunne (pictured) met with representatives from BT during a visit to the UK over the last week, however this was unconfirmed by either party.

According to the executive’s social media accounts, he has been in Ireland over recent days visiting relatives.

When current BT CEO Gavin Patterson announced he would quit later this year, market watchers identified Dunne as a potential successor. This was partly given his record running a UK mobile operator and experience dealing with regulator Ofcom – an organisation BT has traditionally experienced a turbulent relationship with.

The executive is also a former BT employee, as O2 was still part of the BT Group when he joined as deputy CFO in September 2001. He left O2 in 2016 and joined US operator Verizon as group president later that year.

In addition to Dunne, The Telegraph yesterday (2 September) named CEO of Belgian operator Proximus, Leroy, as another in the frame.

Leroy has been in charge of Proximus Group – formerly Belgacom – since 2014. Although she has never held a management role outside of Belgium, the executive would bring significant experience dealing with regulators and in leading an incumbent fixed and mobile converged operator.

Ongoing search
BT’s search for a new CEO is said to be in the advanced stages, but relatively few reports identifying candidates have emerged since the immediate aftermath of Patterson’s announcement.

During early August Sky News said former Ofcom boss Stephen Carter had been approached by BT, but had lukewarm interest in the role.

Names linked to the role shortly after BT announced Patterson’s departure included: BT Consumer boss Marc Allera, former EE chief Olaf Swantee and CEO of water company Severn Trent Liv Garfield.

BT CFO Gavin Lowth and Tele2 CEO Allison Kirkby were later added to this list by Bloomberg.