BT picks ex One 2 One chief for global Net role

BT has appointed a former One 2 One senior executive to head marketing at its new Global Mobile Internet division. It has filled two other senior management positions at the same time.

Roger Vigilance joins the new division as head of global marketing. He reports directly to former BTCellnet marketing director Kent Thexton, managing director of the new division.

Vigilance joined BTCellnet 15 months ago as head of product development. He was previously marketing director of Mercury One 2 One, before a spell in the US.

At BTCellnet, Vigilance was responsible for creating a partnership with Phone.com, which is providing browser technology for BTCellnet’s new Net-enabled Wap phones.

In his new capacity, Vigilance will be responsible for creating and planning marketing strategy and co-ordinating marketing with managers within each country.

Ben Timmons, former Cable & Wireless director of marketing for global mobile, has been appointed as head of Asia for the new division. He joined BT’s group mobility division six months ago.

Steve Davies, BT head of group Net and multimedia strategic projects, has been appointed head of Europe for the new division after eight months at BT.

BT is investing &£160m in the Global Mobile Net division, which will offer consumer and business services based on BTCellnet’s mobile Net service provider Genie, in alliance with partners including Microsoft. Genie provides news, travel and entertainment information services.

The services will initially be offered through BT’s joint ventures, which include Starhub in Singapore and Viag Interkom in Germany. BT believes that as a result of these partnerships it has 48 million potential mobile customers in 15 countries.

Trials of the services begin next month and will be launched in the summer.