(Adds background on scheduled meeting with other CEOs)
LONDON, March 12 (Reuters) - Britain's biggest telecoms
group BT said its chief executive, Philip Jansen, tested
positive for COVID-19 on Thursday.
"Having felt slightly unwell I decided as a precaution to be
tested. As soon as the test results were known I isolated myself
at home," Jansen said in a statement.
"I've met several industry partners this week so felt it was
the responsible thing to do to alert them to this fact as soon
as I could."
Britain's government said on Monday that Jansen and
executives from other mobile phone operators, including Mark
Evans, the CEO of O2, and Dave Dyson, the CEO of Three, were due
to attend the signing that day of a deal to improve rural phone
coverage.
In BT's statement, Jansen said his symptoms seemed mild and
he would work remotely over the coming week, avoiding disruption
to BT's business.
(Writing by William Schomberg;
Editing by Sandra Maler and Mike Collett-White)