BT AGM set to bring stormy start for new chairman

Jan du Plessis will endure a torrid introduction to his tenure as chairman BT of on Wednesday as he faces shareholders at the annual meeting after a run of problems at the UK telecoms company. Mr du Plessis, who was previously chairman of Rio Tinto, joined BT's board last month and formally takes over as chair of the telecom group in November. Prospect, the union that represents BT managers and specialists, said it would rally outside the event after its members were told their pay would be frozen amid the wider clampdown on costs at the company. Mr du Plessis is credited with turning round Rio during his year stint as chairman of the miner and did not shy away from radical action including replacing the chief executive. Dhananjay Mirchandani, an analyst with Bernstein, added: "Mr du Plessis' priority has to be a restoration of shareholder confidence in the company."

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