Senior appointment

BT Group PLC
03 September 2002

                                                               September 3, 2002

                 JEAN-YVES CHARLIER IS BT'S NEW EUROPEAN CHIEF

BT today announced that Jean-Yves Charlier has been appointed President, BT
Ignite Europe and Chief of Operations, BT Ignite. He joins from storage industry
leader EMC, where he was President Europe, Middle East & Africa.

As President of BT Ignite Europe, Jean-Yves Charlier will be responsible for
ensuring that BT's European businesses meet both their EBITDA targets and growth
plans, as well as positioning BT Ignite as partner of choice for creative,
valued and reliable communications services and solutions in Europe. As Chief of
Operations, Jean-Yves Charlier will oversee all BT Ignite's sales activities to
accelerate the company's growth, and ensure alignment of all network and support
functions to achieve excellence in customer satisfaction.

Prior to joining EMC, Jean-Yves Charlier was President Markets & Sales with
international network services company Equant, with full responsibility on a
worldwide basis for Equant's front office operations, representing over £2
billion in revenues and 2,000 employees. Jean-Yves Charlier joined the company
in 1996, making him one of the key senior executives to develop Equant from
revenues of a few hundred million dollars to multi-billion dollars in revenue by
2001. He joined Equant from Wang's Network Integration Business, where he was
Vice President Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Andy Green, CEO BT Ignite, said: "This is a significant appointment for BT
Ignite. Jean-Yves not only brings a wealth of sector experience that will build
on the work already underway in BT Ignite Europe, but will also bring increased
rigour and momentum to the delivery of our strategy and operational plans. It
certainly reflects our long term commitment to deliver services that meet the
European needs of global multi-site corporates and the global needs of European
corporates."

Jean-Yves Charlier said: "I'm thrilled by the opportunity of joining BT and to
seize the current European market opportunities with the full backing of such an
experienced, robust and well established organisation. BT is uniquely positioned
to provide its international business customers with communication services and
solutions for the long term."

Jean-Yves Charlier, a Wharton Business School graduate, is 38 and is a Belgian
national. He is married with two children, and lives near London.


About BT Ignite

BT Ignite is BT's business services and solutions division, serving customers
worldwide. As an information and communications technology service provider, BT
Ignite provides integrated data and value-added services to meet the European
needs of global multi-site corporates and the global needs of European
corporates.

BT's extensive global network and strong strategic partnerships enable BT Ignite
to serve customers in all key commercial centres of Europe, North America and
Asia.

The BT Ignite portfolio ranges from desktop and network equipment and software,
transport and connectivity, IP-based e-business solutions, managed network
services and systems integration to consultancy for complex global requirements.

With 17 years of experience in global account management, BT Ignite has 50% of
people based outside the UK, serving large business customers worldwide.

Further information is available at www.btignite.com.

                                     -----

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Date of Notification: 3 September 2002

End


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