BT appoints Adam Crozier as chairman
Details
Joseph O'Halloran
| 18 August 2021
Just weeks after reporting a fall in profits and revenues in its first quarter of the year, and amid rumours that it is selling its Sports broadcast business as part of a strategy to focus us on next-generation wireless and wired networks, BT will open its next chapter with Adam Crozier as chairman.
BT logo corporate 18Aug2021
Currently chairman of Whitbread plc, ASOS, Kantar Group, as well as a non-executive director of Sony Corporation, Crozier will join the BT board as an independent non-executive director and Chairman Designate with effect from 1 November 2021 and will become Chairman with effect from 1 December 2021 when incumbent Jan du Plessis retires.

Crozier was one of the leading UK business leaders of the late Nineties and Noughties and BT says he boasts significant operational and transformational experience in both public and private businesses across a range of industries that make him an excellent candidate to chair BT as it makes its business renewal.

Of all teg key appointments that he has had, Crozier is perhaps best known for being CEO of ITV plc from 2010 to 2017 during which time he led the company away from a dependence on traditional business lines and setting in place the commercial broadcaster's now successful production and digital lines. BT noted that under Crozier’s leadership, ITV plc was transformed into one of the most successful and dynamic media and content companies in the world and its financial performance improved dramatically, with earnings per share increasing by over 800%.

Before ITV Crozier was chief executive of Royal Mail, where over seven years he led its modernisation and transformed it from a loss-making position to profitability prior to which he was CEO of the Football Association between 2000 and 2002, offering intimate knowledge of English football and most importantly its value to broadcasters such as BT Sport which has UK rights to the English Premier League and Champions League.

Commenting on his appointment he said: "It is an honour to join the Board of BT and to succeed Jan as Chair. BT is a hugely important company, with a critical role to play in building the digital networks and services to support the UK’s future. I look forward to working with the Board, Philip and his executive team to create value for all our stakeholders."

BT chief executive Philip Jansen added: “I would like to thank Jan for his leadership over the last four years. He has overseen the achievement of significant milestones and the recent improvement in BT’s fortunes and his careful stewardship has left the business in a better, stronger position. On behalf of the Executive Committee and all our colleagues, I would like to wish him well for the future. I am delighted to welcome Adam to BT and I really look forward to working with him as we target returning BT to consistent growth.”