Finance

BT to appoint Virgin Media O2's Cobian as CFO, Telegraph reports

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on July 23, 2025

2 min read

· Last updated: January 22, 2026

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BT to appoint Virgin Media O2's Cobian as CFO, Telegraph reports
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(Reuters) -BT Group, Britain's biggest broadband and mobile services provider, is set to name Virgin Media O2's chief financial officer, Patricia Cobian, as its first female finance chief, The

BT Group to Appoint Virgin Media O2's Patricia Cobian as CFO

BT Group's New CFO Appointment

(Reuters) -BT Group, Britain's biggest broadband and mobile services provider, is set to name Virgin Media O2's chief financial officer, Patricia Cobian, as its first female finance chief, The Telegraph reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed sources.

Cobian held the finance chief position at Telefonica's UK mobile network O2 since 2016, before transitioning to the same role at Virgin Media O2 following the completion of the 50-50 joint venture between Telefonica and Liberty Global in 2021.

BT and Virgin Media O2 declined to comment on the report.

Sky News reported on Monday that BT was looking for a new finance chief to succeed Simon Lowth, who will retire within a year. He was appointed BT CFO in 2016.

Cobian's Background and Experience

Cobian would join BT at a time when it is looking to cut costs through layoffs and advances in artificial intelligence.

"Depending on what we learn from AI . . . there may be an opportunity for BT to be even smaller by the end of the decade," Chief Executive Allison Kirkby told Financial Times in June.

Company's Cost-Cutting Strategy

The company said in 2023 that it planned to cut as many as 55,000 jobs, including contractors, by 2030.

(Reporting by Rishabh Jaiswal in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva)

Key Takeaways

  • BT Group to appoint Patricia Cobian as CFO.
  • Cobian is the first female finance chief at BT.
  • Cobian previously served as CFO at Virgin Media O2.
  • BT plans to cut up to 55,000 jobs by 2030.
  • Current CFO Simon Lowth to retire within a year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the new CFO of BT Group?
Patricia Cobian, formerly the CFO at Virgin Media O2, is set to become BT's first female finance chief.
What position did Simon Lowth hold at BT?
Simon Lowth has been the CFO of BT since 2016 and is expected to retire within a year.
What is BT's plan regarding job cuts?
BT announced plans to cut as many as 55,000 jobs, including contractors, by 2030 as part of its cost-cutting measures.
What role will AI play in BT's future?
BT is looking to leverage advances in artificial intelligence to potentially reduce its size further by the end of the decade.
When did Patricia Cobian transition to Virgin Media O2?
Patricia Cobian transitioned to Virgin Media O2 after the completion of the 50-50 joint venture between Virgin Media and O2.

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