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Network operator CityFibre, which have so far expanded their 10Gbps capable FTTP broadband network to cover 4.6 million UK premises (4.3m RFS) and connected 730,000 customers, has today announced that BT Group’s former Chief Architect, Neil McRae, has been appointed to be the company’s new Chief Technology & Information Officer (CTIO).
The operator has yet to put out an official press release on the development, although Telecom TV appears to have picked up on it via an internal staff notice – issued yesterday. The appointment is quite a big one for CityFibre as, aside from his obvious experience, few people know as much about the inner workings of BT’s rival network, infrastructure, digital IT and processes than McRae.
McRae is currently the Chief Network Strategist (CNS) at Juniper Networks and is expected to join CityFibre sometime in the New Year. The move also means that CityFibre’s current CTIO, John Franklin (he’s been at the operator for more than 12 years), will be moved to take on a new role as the company’s Chief Integration Officer (CIO).
The announcement comes shortly after the operator secured a crucial £2.3bn funding agreement (here), which was later followed by CityFibre changing CEO from Greg Mesch to former Goldman Sachs banker Simon Holden (here). Big developments like this often produce changes in company leadership and strategy.
McRae is certainly likely to have plenty of work when he arrives, with CityFibre currently known to be lining up several further acquisitions in the UK’s alternative broadband network space and planning future network enhancements. Some recent talks have also involved one of the market’s other major altnets, Netomnia (here), although no official agreements have been reached.. yet.