Coup for Carphone as it poaches top Ofcom strategist

Carphone Warehouse has strengthened its broadband management team after poaching Andrew Heaney, a key architect of Ofcom's broadband regulatory framework, to be the company's head of regulatory affairs.

The appointment is a coup for the mobile phone retailer and broadband service provider, given Mr Heaney's work in formulating Ofcom's strategy for the UK broadband market. In his position as competition policy director at Ofcom, Mr Heaney has been central to the regulator's work in stimulating competition within local exchanges. That policy has driven to a number of companies, including Carphone Warehouse, to invest directly in BT's local exchanges to offer cheaper and faster broadband to customers. Carphone Warehouse declined to comment on the appointment.

Mr Heaney, who joined Ofcom in 2004 from Spectrum Strategy Consultants, also oversaw the creation of BT Openreach, which separated the company's network division from its retail operations.

Mr Heaney is the latest executive to leave Ofcom since Ed Richards replaced Stephen Carter as chief executive of the regulator. Sean Williams, competition partner at Ofcom, and Kip Meek, chief policy partner, both resigned after losing out to Mr Richards for the top job.

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