BT Retail chief quits to take up top Argos role

BT Retail general manager Peter Jones has resigned to join catalogue retailer Argos as operations director.

Jones joined BT in 1997 and was instrumental in revamping the company’s shops as high street competition in the telecoms sector intensified.

The first BT Shop formats appeared in May last year, created by design and strategy agency 20/20. BT expects 81 of its 98 stores to be refurbished within three years.

Jones worked as a divisional director with Dixons, as retail director of Yorkshire Electricity and previously as managing director of On Demand Information.

He takes up his Argos position on April 6 and will be responsible for stores and distribution. He replaces Terry Wardle, who retires at the end of 1999.

BT Retail operations manager Matthew Harrison will act as general manager after Jones’ departure, until a successor is announced.

BT has created a new position of head of marketing strategy for Global Internet Solutions.

The company is recruiting for the position which is based within the Internet Protocol team. The role, focusing on global business customers, will involve developing a market potential for this sector.