Ex-BT CEO Livingston replaces Taylor as Dixons Carphone exec chairman

Ex Carphone CEO Taylor leaves retailer after 17 years as part of reshuffle that sees Tony DeNunzio CBE join as senior independent director 

Dixons Carphone has appointed Lord Livingston of Parkhead as deputy chairman of the board, replacing company veteran Roger Taylor.

Livingston was previously CEO of BT Group from 2008 to 2013 and prior to that was CEO of BT Retail and Group CFO. For the past two years he has been Minister of State for Trade and Investment and is currently a non-executive director of Celtic plc and Belmond Ltd.

It also marks a return to the group for him, having been CFO of Dixons Group between 1996 and 2002, having served in a number of roles over more than a decade in the company.

The appointment sees 17-year company veteran Roger Taylor step down as deputy chairman with immediate effect. He has held that position since July 2013 having previously been CEO of Carphone Warehouse.

Dixons Carphone has also announced the appointment of Tony DeNunzio CBE of senior independent director. He will become a member of the Remuneration and Nominations Committees.

He was previously president and CEO of Asda/Walmart UK from 2002 to 2005 and is non-executive chairman of Pets at Home Group, non-executive director of PrimaPrix and senior advisor at Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co. He was previously non-executive director of Alliance Boots and chairman of Maxeda Retail Group.

It has also been announced that John Gildersleeve will step down with immediate effect. He has been a non-executive director of the company for 15 years and most recently was chairman of the Remuneration Committee.

Dixons Carphone chairman Sir Charles Dunstone said: “I feel that, in Ian and Tony, we have found perfect additions to our distinguished Board, which give us very helpful additional expertise in our core business of retail and our developing telecoms and B2B services areas.”