Dutchman Ben Verwaayen, the former head of the British telecoms firm BT, has been appointed CEO of the loss-making French-American telecoms group Alcatel-Lucent.

Verwaayen stepped down from BT in June after six years during which he is credited with turning the company around. He was knighted by the British queen this year for his work at BT.
In a statement Alcatel-Lucent said Verwaayen is a ‘respected and experienced’ business leader whose ‘understanding of this industry with its challenges and opportunities’ makes him the ‘perfect choice’ to lead Alcatel-Lucent.