EE brand to be retained as part of BT restructure

Telecoms giant completed acquisition of UK’s biggest mobile operator on Friday, but will divide business into six parts, including EE

BT has announced a corporate restructure that will see the EE brand remain as one of six lines of business.

The fixed line giant sealed it’s acquisition of the UK’s biggest mobile provider on Friday (January 29), will divide its business into six units: Consumer, EE, Business and Public Sector, Global Services, Wholesale and Ventures, and Openreach. The changes are set to come into force on April 1.

The restructure will see the EE brand retained, but the mobile sector will largely focus on the consumer market. It will continue to offer consumers mobile services, broadband and EE TV, and will be led by former chief commercial officer Marc Allera (pictured), who is now EE’s CEO.

According to BT, the lucrative public services contract, sealed by the operator at the end of last year, will also be controlled by the EE brand.

Group chief executive Gavin Patterson said: “I’m delighted we have now completed our acquisition of EE. That is great news for our shareholders, our customers and for UK plc given we will continue to invest and innovate. Customers will benefit as we combine the power of fibre broadband with the convenience of mobile.

“We will operate a multi brand strategy with UK customers being able to choose a mix of BT, EE or Plusnet services, depending on which suit them best. The acquisition enables us to offer great value bundles of services and customers are set to be the winners as we compete for their business.

Business and Public Sector

EE’s business sector will be folded into a new division, Business and Public Sector, that BT claims is worth around £5 billion in revenues.

This division will be tasked with looking after businesses both small and large, as well as public sector contracts in the UK and Ireland. It will be formed from BT’s existing business arm as well, and will be headed up by Graham Sutherland.

EE’s MVNO business will also be folded into a separate division, Wholesale and Ventures, which will be led EE Business chief sales and marketing officer Gerry McQuade.

Patterson added: “The acquisition provides us with a chance to refresh our structure and we have done that by creating a major new division that will focus on businesses and the public sector in the UK and Ireland. We want to support those sectors by offering customers the very best services whether that be dedicated private lines, network products such as fibre broadband, mobile solutions, IT services or cyber expertise to keep them safe.

“We will continue to offer many of these services to multinational companies and major overseas customers via our Global Services division. It is an important part of the company and this new structure will enable it to sharpen its focus on its key areas of strength.”

IT and Mobile business

BT’s consumer arm will continue to oversee the BT MVNO, as well as its superfast broadband, telephony and TV services.

Global services will support BT’s multination customers and financial institutions based in the UK, while Openreach will operate independently of BT. It will be led by Clive Selley, who took his role as CEO from today (February 1).

These six divisions will be supported by a new Technology, Service and Operations sector, which will be responsible for BT’s core networks, and led by Howard Watson, who replaces new Openreach boss Selley.

BT has also created a new IT and Mobile business unit within TSO, which will be led by EE chief technology office Fotis Karonis. He will also become chief information officer for the EE division, reporting to Allera.