Duringhislongcareer,Christopherblandhasservedaschairmanofthecorporate,publicandbroadcastingorganizations,andhasreceivedmanyreviews,butnotallarepraises.Somepeoplesaythatheissarcastic,haughty,arrogant,arrogant,andsoon,whetherhefeltfitanyofthem?
"Icanadmititandacceptit,"saidthechairmanoftheBritishTelecomGroup(btgroup).Atthemomenthewassittingcomfortablyinhisofficeonthe10thfloorofthesofa,hisofficeinthevicinityofSt.Paul'sCathedralinLondon."I'mquickandjoking,andI'malittlebitrudewhenansweringreportersandanalysts,andifIthinkthey'retalkingnonsense,I'llsaythat."Afewdaysago,duringthesecondquarterofthistelecomgroup,Atthepressconference,hecalledoneofthejournalists"dumb".
HerecalledthatduringhistenureaschairmanoftheBritishBroadcastingCorporation(BBC),hequarreledwithreporters.Includingtheacceptanceof"thespectator"(thespectator)reporterPetronellaWyatt
(Petronellawyatt)aninterview,forwhichthemagazinewasalsoforcedtopublishanapology,sayingthatSirChristopherdidnotshoutather,didnotmakeaggressiveaction.
Buthealsosaidthatmanyofhisbestfriendswerejournalists,andthathehadworkedwithsomeofthebestjournalistsatBBC."Inowhaveanewpointofviewforjournalists,"hesaidwithasmile,asheopenedtheGuardian,notingthathissonArchiehadbeenselectedinthenewspaper'sStudentMediaGrandPrixFortheannualcolumnist.
Acidcarvedinsatiablejoking.Sodespoticit?"No,Idonotthinkit'strue.Youcannotrulethecompany,sotheimperial-typeadjectivesdonotwork,ofcourseyoucannotrulebbcorBritishTelecom."Theseinstitutionsaretoolargeandtoocomplex,andinthisareayouhavetotakepowerequalityOfthemanagement.
SirChristopherhadbeeninBTsinceXX,andsincethenhehasledafar-reachingrestructuringoftheformerstate-ownedutility,includingasignificantreductioninitsdebt.Thereareindicationsthatbroadbandandothernewservicesaremakingupforthecompany'sfixed-linebusinessdecline,sothegroup'srevenuebegantorise.
The66-year-oldchairmanlookstiredbutperhapsnotsurprisingbecauseheandhischiefexecutive,Benverwaayen,havebeenbusywithtelecomsregulators-Office(ofcom)requirements.TheOfficeofCommunicationsannouncedlastweekthatitwantsBTtoundergoaradicaloverhaulthatwillallowitscompetitorstoenteritsmonopolynetworkfairly.
SirChristophersaidthatbythetimeheretiredinmid-2008,hehopedthatBTwouldhaveastrongglobalservicespresenceandaneffectivebroadbandstrategy.Healsohopesthecompany'smobilephonebusinesswillbestrongrevival.