Katie Milligan will become the next chief executive of Openreach on April 1, 2026, taking the helm from Clive Selley, who is moving to lead BT International, BT Group announced today.
Selley, who has led Openreach since 2016, will replace Bas Burger as CEO of BT International. Burger is departing BT after an 18-year tenure, including nine years on the executive committee. The changes represent the latest in a series of leadership adjustments under BT Group Chief Executive Allison Kirkby, who has reshaped the company’s executive team since taking the position in February 2024.
The transition comes as Openreach nears completion of a £12 billion full fibre broadband rollout program, aiming to reach 25 million premises. The company is currently on track to meet this target by the end of 2026. Milligan, currently Deputy CEO of Openreach, will now be responsible for determining whether to extend the fibre network further, potentially reaching 30 million homes by 2030.
Kirkby praised Selley’s leadership, stating, “Clive’s contribution at the helm of Openreach has been exceptional. His leadership – particularly the scale, pace and quality of the full fibre broadband build, has set latest standards for our industry.” She also highlighted the importance of Openreach as “a critical national asset – the digital backbone of the UK – and a key driver of BT Group’s long‑term value.”
Milligan expressed her commitment to continuing the expansion of the network, stating, “That is what Openreach has been about: can we build as far and wide as possible. That is not going to change. But we want to make sure we can get the right conditions to finish the job.”
However, Openreach faces increasing competition from alternative fibre builders, often referred to as “alt nets,” and has reported a decline in customers. The company forecasts a loss of 850,000 customers in the year ending March 2026, following a loss of over 800,000 customers in the previous financial year. Selley previously warned Ofcom that the final phase of the rollout could be scrapped if the regulator proceeds with proposed changes to telecoms access regulations.
Despite the expansion of full fibre availability to 78% of UK households – approximately 23.7 million homes – actual consumer accept-up remains at 42%, according to recent Ofcom data. The UK’s global ranking for fixed broadband speed remains at 44th, unchanged from 2024, according to Ookla’s speed test database.
