Verwaayen joins former Economist editor Bill Emmott at regulator, replacing Tim Gardam and Mike McTighe who step down after two terms
Ofcom has appointed former BT CEO Ben Verwaayen as a non-executive member of its board.
Verwaayen was chief executive at the broadband giant between 2002 and 2006, when he saw the number of broadband users in the UK grow from just 200,000 to more than 12.5 million.
During his time with BT, he steered the company through a fierce battle with Ofcom, but has now joined the board, beginning a four year stint.
His appointment comes as Ofcom are undergoing another review of the UK telecoms market, which will involve taking a close look at his former employer and its relationship with infrastructure arm OpenReach.
He will be joined by former Economist editor Bill Emmott, who will take up the role as chairman of Ofcom’s content board.
Together, they will replace Tim Gardam and Mike McTighe, who will step down after two terms at the regulator.
Ofcom chairman Patricia Hodgson said: “I am delighted to be welcoming Ben Verwaayen and Bill Emmott to the Ofcom Board. They are two high-calibre appointments who bring a wealth of experience, which will greatly benefit Ofcom.
“I would like to thank Tim and Mike for their significant contributions to Ofcom’s work over the years.”
