BT Group plc has today announced the appointment of Allison Kirkby as the group’s chief executive. She will take over from Philip Jansen by the end of January 2024 at the latest, becoming BT’s first female CEO.

Kirkby will leave her role as president and CEO of digital communications and telecommunications provider Telia Company, headquartered in Sweden.

Kirkby is already a non-executive director at BT Group and is also a NED and member of the Audit Committee of Brookfield Asset Management Limited.

She joined Telia in 2020, and has also held the top roles at TDC, the largest telecommunications company in Denmark, and Tele2 AB (from 2015 to 2018), a challenger telecommunications company in Sweden and the Baltics.

Earlier in her career, Kirkby held a number of financial and operational roles at Procter & Gamble, and before that at Guinness plc.

Adam Crozier, BT group chair, said: “The board is delighted to have appointed Allison as our new chief executive. She is a proven leader, with deep sector experience and a history of having transformed businesses. I look forward to supporting her as we drive our long-term strategy to transform BT Group, ensuring it delivers for all our stakeholders.”