International C&W chief in sudden exit

Nigel Backwith, the head of Cable & Wireless’ international services division, has left suddenly after a year in the job.

Nigel Backwith, the head of Cable & Wireless’ international services division, has left suddenly after a year in the job.

He has been replaced by Mercury Communications managing director of corporate business services Dave Sexton, who started at Cable & Wireless this week.

Backwith, an experienced telecoms consultant, joined Cable & Wireless in November 1995 in the new post of chief executive of Cable & Wireless Business Networks – the division providing international services to multinational companies. He was previously a senior partner in Andersen Consulting’s European Communication Industry Group.

Backwith’s departure is not connected to the company’s merger last year (MW October 25), when Mercury Communications, Ny nex, Bell Cablemedia and Videotron were forged into a single brand ed business – Cable & Wireless Communications.

A Cable & Wireless spokesman says Backwith left the company last week. The spokesman refuses to comment on any plans for the international division, aside from confirming that it will remain separate from C&W Communications.