BT chair Jan du Plessis has announced he intends to step down later this year. He will stay in place until a successor is appointed.

He joined the BT board as a non-executive director in June 2017 and was appointed as chair in November 2017.

Du Plessis said in a statement: “BT is a fantastic company and it is a huge privilege and responsibility to be its chairman. But after 17 years of demanding roles as chairman of significant FTSE companies, I know the time is now right for me to step down and focus on other interests. Until I hand over to my successor, I remain fully committed to BT and helping Philip [Jansen, CEO] continue to deliver for all our customers, colleagues and shareholders.”

The board will now initiate a process for the appointment of a successor, led by senior independent director Iain Conn.