BT Global Services CEO steps down

The chief executive of BT Global Services, Franois Barrault, has resigned from the firm following a negative trading update.

On Friday, BT reported that Global Services' quarterly earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) would come in at 120 million, significantly below expectations despite the rest of the firm's divisions staying strong.

A BT Group spokesman told IT PRO: "He resigned because we issued a trading update saying Global Services would miss EBITDA expectations therefore, he felt it was time to go."

Barrault joined the telecoms giant in 2004 as the head of the international arm, and took on the chief executive role at Global Services in April 2007. He will be replaced by Hanif Lalani, who is currently the group's Finance Director. That role is yet to be filled.

Ian Livingston, chief executive of BT, said: "I would like to thank Franois, and wish him well for the future."

But regarding the trading statement, Livingstone said: "BT is performing in line with or ahead of expectations in all but one of its divisions, so the results in BT Global Services are particularly disappointing. We acknowledge that the performance in this part of the group is unsatisfactory and are committed to taking decisive action to rectify the situation."

BT will announce its results for the second quarter on 13 November.