Mike Inglis, chairman designate of the AIM-listed materials technology company Ilika, is to join BT as a non-executive director.
Inglis, also a non-executive at Pace plc and an independent director at US-based Micro Devices, will join BT’s technology committee, the group set up earlier this year to oversee major innovations.
Inglis served on the board of FTSE 100 software design company ARM Holdings until 2013 where he held various roles including chief commercial officer. He has also worked at AT Kearney as a management consultant.
BT’s big technological and business advance in recent times is a move into television, with the provision of sports and films.
At the end of July, BT said daily viewing figures were up 50% for the three months to June.
BT also entered the mobile telephone market this year through an agreement with EE. The company says 100,000 users were signed up in the first three months without advertising.
Nevertheless, BT had to report flat revenues, down 2% for the first quarter to £4.28bn.
Adjusted profit before tax rose 9% to £694m.
Inglis’s appointment is effective from 1 September.