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Lead exec's exit blurs BT Vision The BT executive overseeing the UK telecoms company's move into television later this year has quit "to pursue other interests." Andrew Burke, who was named chief executive of BT Entertainment when the content division was established in 2004, will leave at the end of April and will not be replaced. His departure comes at a critical juncture, with the telco aiming for an autumn launch of an IPTV service dubbed BT Vision. Competition in the nascent IPTV market is also intensifying, with France Telecom hot on BT's heels with plans to launch its own product as part of a wider rebranding of UK activities to create Orange TV. Burke's responsibilities will be split among the management team BT has been busily assembling over the past year-and-a-half in preparation for the roll-out of digital terrestrial, broadband-enabled set-top boxes. Lead responsibility for BT Vision will remain with former Universal executive Dan Marks, who is chief executive of TV services at BT Retail, with the support of Lib Charlesworth, the former general manager of Freeview, who was poached to become BT Vision marketing director. BT said in a statement that Burke's departure was on amicable terms and would not have any bearing on the company's timetable for moving into the TV business. "Andrew Burke is leaving BT by mutual consent to pursue other interests. He has made an enormous contribution to the development of BT Vision and has helped assemble a world class team that everyone is confident will deliver a successful launch in the autumn," said the statement. Jonathan Webdale 6 Apr 2006 © C21 Media 2006 
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