• BT has shuffled its top exec team
• Katie Milligan has been named as new CEO of Openreach
• Milligan replaces Clive Selley, who is becoming CEO of BT International
• Selly takes the hot seat from Bas Burger, who is leaving BT after almost two decades

BT Group is overhauling the leadership of its broadband network infrastructure unit Openreach and its international division, with current Openreach chief Clive Selley taking over as CEO of BT International, and Katie Milligan replacing him as the head of BT’s quasi-autonomous wholesale fixed access network division on 1 April.

Milligan has been deputy CEO of Openreach under Selly since 2025, having previously served as commercial director and then chief commercial officer from 2023. A 14-year veteran at Openreach, Milligan first joined BT back in 2004 after graduating from the Business School at the University of Strathclyde.

“I’m thrilled and privileged to be given the opportunity to lead Openreach,” said Milligan. “Our role in connecting communities, underpinning the UK economy and driving the benefits of digital inclusion has never been more important. At Openreach, we really do make the connections that matter – and I can’t wait to lead this brilliant team in delivering a successful, digital future for the whole UK.”

BT recently noted that Openreach’s fibre access network now reaches 21.4 million premises (of which 5.9 million are in rural areas) and that it expects to reach 25 million by the end of 2026.

Milligan will succeed Selley, who after a successful decade at the helm of Openreach is becoming CEO of BT International. Formerly the Global Services division, BT International provides services to multinational customers across 180 countries.

Selley will replace the outgoing Bas Burger, who after 18 years at BT – including nine years on its executive committee – is leaving the company. Burger has led the International division through various guises, including as BT Global, BT Business and most recently BT International.

His departure comes as BT International has continued to streamline its business, selling off a number of units, including its wholesale and enterprise business unit in

Ireland to Speed Fibre Group for €22m, its datacentre business in Ireland to Equinix for €59m and financial services exchange platform Radianz to Transaction Network Services (TNS) for an undisclosed sum. 

It does, though, still have multiple assets, including its new Global Fabric platform, which appears to be the key appeal for any third party that might be interested in what remains of BT’s global portfolio. 

BT Group CEO Allison Kirkby paid tribute to Burger, saying he has “laid the foundations and strategy for a more focussed, responsive platform business for our customers outside of the UK, ready to scale and grow with the help of next-generation technologies.”

She also congratulated Selley on his appointment. “Clive’s contribution at the helm of Openreach has been exceptional. His leadership – particularly the scale, pace and quality of the full fibre broadband build – has set new standards for our industry. Clive is also the best person to lead BT International forward as a next-generation, global telco platform business. No one has more experience building complex modern-day infrastructure and supporting customers at scale in their digital transition,” added Kirkby.

- James Pearce, Contributing Editor, TelecomTV