‘Father of broadband’ leaves BT
9th April 2008
Ben Verwaayen, hailed as the man responsible for bringing broadband to Britain, has left BT.
After more than six years at the helm, Mr Verwaayen is to quit his position as chief executive of the telecoms and broadband provider, to be replaced by Ian Livingstone, head of the company’s retail division.
The Guardian reports that he was largely responsible for creating one of the most fiercely competitive broadband markets in the world.
While he was in charge of the company, the number of people in the UK using broadband services went from 200,000 in 2002 to 12.5 million today.
"No one came into my office and said, ‘You know what? It’s time for you to leave’", Mr Verwaayen is reported as saying, adding that there is a right time let upcoming talent take charge.
Elsewhere, in the Independent, Mr Verwaayen spoke of his commitment to engendering a proud work ethic among staff at BT, where previously people had been loth to admit that they worked for the company.
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