TalkTalk MD Lawton departs as IBM's Bligh appointed

Telco's boss moves on after five years with IBM's UK commercial chief stepping into the hotseat

Long-serving TalkTalk Business boss Paul Lawton is leaving the firm and will be replaced by leading IBM UK exec Charles Bligh.

According to a statement issued by TalkTalk, Lawton (pictured) has "decided to leave to pursue opportunities outside the business". He helmed the carrier, which was formerly called Opal, for five years.

"Paul has played a pivotal role in the development and growth of the division in recent years," added the statement. "He has built a strong and effective management team and is justifiably proud of their achievements, particularly the repositioning of the business as a very successful data services provider. Paul leaves the business with our gratitude and best wishes for the future."

He is to be replaced in the hotseat by Charles Bligh, who moves on from a role heading up IBM's UK operations in the commercial sector. He will report into TalkTalk Group chief executive Dido Harding.

"[Bligh] has a wealth of experience in the business-to-business space and has led teams in Australia, Asia as well as the UK and has an excellent reputation at IBM for orientating business strategy and service around customer needs," claimed the statement.