BT names new chairman

BT's next chairman will be Sir Michael Rake, the telco announced today.

Currently the chairman at accountancy firm KPMG, Rake will take over the BT post from Sir Christopher Bland in September this year.

Rake joined KPMG 35 years ago and has been on the UK board since 1991. During his tenure at KPMG, he ran the audit practice in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Middle East, and spearheaded a corporate governance campaign.

Rake said he was feeling "extremely enthusiastic" about building on the company's recent success in establishing itself as a leading networked IT service firm.

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BT chief executive Ben Verwaayen said there was "much more work to be done" in building BT's global presence and Rake's qualities "will help BT succeed through the next phase of its transformation".

Rake is chairman of Business in the Community, board member of the Prince of Wales' International Business Leaders Forum and a governor of Wellington College.