All Philip Jansen articles
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PeopleEx-chair du Plessis wants to “move on” from BT exit
Jan du Plessis describes BT chairmanship as “not a great time”, but remains confident in Group strategy under CEO Jansen. Unceremonious resignation came amid reports of falling‑out between the pair. Newly knighted du Plessis now teed up for UK audit watchdog role.
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Strategy & Change
BT ramps up health tech plans with formation of Clinical Advisory Board
Eight NHS clinicians will aid BT in development of its healthcare solutions. Latest in a string of moves showcasing the telecom’s healthcare ambitions.
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M&A
VM O2 CEO happy as spectator to BT takeover saga
Lutz Schüler, CEO at Virgin Media O2, said he “thanks God” his business is not distracted by shareholder goings on. Comes after Patrick Drahi expanded his shareholding in VM O2 rival BT. Schüler’s attention fixed on customer experience improvements and fibre rollout.
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M&A
Defences up as Drahi increases BT stake
Patrick Drahi’s Altice UK stops short of a takeover bid, but increases holding to 18%. UK government issues warning that it “will not hesitate” to protect national interests amid concerns of foreign investment in critical infrastructure incumbent. Takeover not Drahi’s ‘intention’, but caveats are in place.
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M&A
Will Drahi come knocking on BT’s door?
Six months on from French billionaire’s surprise raid on BT, Altice UK now free to up its stake or mount a takeover bid. Jansen called in for meeting with UK government minister to get the lowdown on Drahi’s intentions.
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Suppliers & SCM
Openreach urges Vauxhall to build British ‘green’ fleet
Clive Selley, Openreach CEO, “in talks” with Vauxhall owner Stellantis to increase production of electric vehicles at its UK plant. Vauxhall supplies Openreach’s 28,000‑strong commercial van fleet, which will be ‘green’ by 2030. 1,000 EVs currently on the road in Openreach livery.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Openreach: Ofcom lays down the law
Copper exchange stop‑sell progress; Ofcom lays down USO law.
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Operations
Jansen hopes to get BT on front foot with new HQ
BT’s new HQ opens after more than a year of delays. Jansen aims to remove “hierarchical” business format.
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Financial & Performance
H1 FY21–22: Jansen trusts BT Global plan, despite setbacks
CEO focuses on the strategy, rather than current performance, to paint a picture of a viable future for the MNC‑focused digital solutions unit. NPS remains a bright spot for Global, highlighting material gains from the BT transformation plan. Declining margins suggest work still to be done on recovery.
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Financial & Performance
H1 FY21–22: Legacy still a drag on BT Enterprise
Legacy declines continued to outpace new service and digital growth, while mobile wholesale losses dimmed Q2 performance. EBITDA performance buoyed by lower costs. Jansen remains confident in Enterprise’s ability to grow again as CEO Rob Shuter’s organisational changes and new operating model take shape.
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Financial & Performance
H1 FY21–22: flat figures at BT Consumer do not curb Jansen enthusiasm
Consumer division sees revenue and earnings knock in Q2. Numbers show slow going on multi-play uptake, and star product and service lines being outshone by accessories. Executives remain bullish on the long‑term growth promise of convergence, however.
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Innovation (R&D)
BT Labs opens robotics facility
Robots inspired by moles and worms to develop ‘trenchless’ deployment techniques. Research aligns with Group ambition to reduce cost of fibre deployment.
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Partnerships & Alliances
BT inches toward 100% coverage with OneWeb tie-up
State‑backed satellite operator OneWeb snags distribution agreement with BT to launch satellite trials in 2022. Pair share 2028 target for 100% connectivity coverage.
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Financial & Performance
H1 FY21–22 Guidance: BT’s past investment heralded as future hope
Progress on track and meeting expectations, with management pitching Enterprise as the one to watch for revenue growth. Fibre build phase “done” with anticipated returns to be reaped during “selling and populating” phase, now underway. Build moves Openreach to ‘fibre franchise’, with market rivals striving for scale.
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Financial & Performance
H1 FY21–22 Spend: efficiencies found to give BT an edge
Improved cost points for BT’s fibre rollout front and centre, make for positive viewing. Operating expenditure down across the board, and capex up at CFUs.
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Financial & Performance
H1 FY21–22 at BT: scale and service to beat competition
InfraCo JV talks closed as rising fibre demand and lower build costs dilute benefits of external funding. CFUs continue their struggle, with Global faring especially poorly in pandemic bounce‑back, but new services and improved brand reputation appear a source of hope. Future revenue growth anticipated, but efficiencies and reduced ...
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Vendor Voice
The Telco-Techco differentiator: unleashing strategic data
The value of data multiplies significantly once you integrate it. Breaking down silos to seamlessly orchestrate data can deliver a virtuous circle of customer experience improvement and operational efficiency, presenting a springboard for strategic reboot. Embracing data as mission-critical must be led from the top. Hyperscale partnerships provide an ...
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Strategy & Change
Openreach off the table as BT drives fibre efficiency
Group ends talks on InfraCo JV as rising fibre demand and lower build costs dilute benefits of external funding. Virgin Media O2 firmly in BT sights as it aims to lock up wholesale market, and move fast on convergence. Future revenue growth anticipated, but greater efficiency and lower spending ...
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Strategy & Change
BT picks advisors to patch takeover vulnerabilities
Robey Warshaw testing BT defences ahead of the end of restrictions on a full takeover bid from major shareholder Altice. Jansen’s ambitious strategy coupled with share price volatility may also be contributing to need for additional City counsellors.
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Products & Services
Government considering BT’s emergency comms proposal
UK Home Office in discussions with BT over introduction of 888 emergency comms and tracking system. 888/Walk Me Home working titles for platform that could act as “deterrent to criminals”. £50m public funding required. Christmas 2021 launch possible.
