BT appoints top roles as part of restructure

BT has made its first senior marketing appointments as part of the telecoms giant’s plan to restructure itself into four businesses.

Duncan Ingram, BT director for shared and complimentary channels, has been appointed senior vice-president narrow-band and Europe for Internet division BTopenworld.

Ingram was temporarily in charge of BT’s marketing after a company-wide restructure in July 1998 until the arrival of Angus Porter in April 1999.

Director of consumer markets Tony Harris becomes head of advertising and e-commerce revenue for BTopenworld, and vice-president broadband Europe Marc Deschamps takes the role of chief operating

officer for UK broadband. Ingram and Deschamps report to chief operating officer of BTopenworld Ben Andradi. Harris will report to group director of strategy and mobility Andy Green, who takes up the role of chief executive officer of BTopenworld on July 1. The appointments indicate that each of BT’s four new businesses will have their own marketing departments.

BTopenworld will offer two high-speed Internet access services at its launch next month. There will be a consumer service for home users, costing £39.99 per month, and a small business offering.

The roll-out of the services will be marketed in line with BT’s roll-out of asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) technology. BT says its ADSL network will cover one in three UK households by launch.

Each service will have its own portal giving information, education and entertainment online. BT is doing deals with scores of brands to provide content, including Cartoon Network, QXL.com, AutoTrader, Reuters and Looksmart.

A Personal Openworld Portal service will launch next year offering enhanced content and applications accessible from a range of devices, such as WAP phones and TV.