Former O2 chief executive officer Ronan Dunne has been touted as hot candidate for the top BT job.
Dunne currently works for US operator Verizon and was recently spotted in the UK in recent days. Sources close to The Telegraph said his visit included talks with BT, which is looking to replace out-going boss Gavin Patterson.
He was mentioned in a building list of candidates, only for rumours to intensify when Verizon reportedly promoted chief technology officer Hans Vestberg CEO to investors, prompting talks that Dunne might be jumping back across the pond.
Dunne joined Verizon two years ago departing O2 as CEO, a role he held for nine years (2007-2016). He was also chief financial officer prior from 2005.
The Irishman has been a major influence in British telecoms. He led O2 during a time where parent-company Telefonica were heavily in debt.
BT Chairman Jan du Plessis asked Paterson to step down in June after shares in BT saw slumps in share prices, due to many disasters happening under his watch. BT’s Italian arm saw scandal and lost the firm £255 million in legal fees, 13,000 jobs were recently cut and the telecoms giant is constantly at war with Ofcom over Openreach.
Other rumoured candidates include Dominique Leroy, the CEO of the Belgian telecoms operator Proximus. BT have reportedly approached former Ofcom boss Stephen Carter two week ago. City headhunter Anna Mann is leading the search for BT’s next boss.
Mobile News has reached out for comment.
