BT Global Services boss leaves after just 15 months

BT Global Servicesis once again recruiting a new leader following the shock resignation of Hanif Lalani, who has been director of Global Services for just 15 months. Lalani has been with BT for 26 years and was group finance director before becoming the leader of Global Services. Ian Livingstone, chief executive of BT said Lalani was leaving to pursue “personal business interests”. A replacement has already been appointed, Jeff Kelly a former senior manager at EDS in the US, will begin working alongside Lalani immediately. BT Global Services, the IT services division of the telecoms giant, has had a difficult recent past. Last year the company reported sales of £8.8 billion, but losses of £2.1bn. BT Global Services recorded losses of £96 million in the second quarter of 2009, and accelerated cost cutting, prompting speculation the group may eventually part sell the division. The unit, which provides IT services, narrowed losses from a £124 million deficit in the previous quarter, and beat analyst expectations. Revenues in the 2009 second quarter of £2bn still dragged down the profitability of the whole company. Problems at the unit with its £1.57 billion contract with the NHS and its £1.7 billion deal with Thomson Reuters have hurt results. Over 15,000 jobs were cut, last year, from Global Services as part of a bid to cut annual costs by £1 billion.