Page 25 - Powerlist 2020

3 The Top 10

Michael
Sherman

Chief Strategy
and Transformation
Officer, BT

NEW
2020

specialist in telecommunications-media-technology He spent 11 years there, rising to the rank of partner and
(TMT), digital and IT and private equity consulting, managing director and leading its technology, media and
A Michael Sherman was appointed to the newly telecommunications practice in the US.
created post of BT chief strategy and transformation officer Prior to that, Michael was executive vice president at
in 2018. enterprise software company Viewlocity.
He reports directly to the telecom giant’s chief executive He has a BSc in Computer Science and Electrical
Gavin Patterson, working to develop and drive the Engineering from Duke University and an MBA from Duke’s
company’s strategy, customer experience and transformation Fuqua School of Business.
programmes. Michael has taken it on as a personal challenge to ensure
Effectively it means he is the number two at BT, which that BT becomes a more ethnically diverse company. He is
makes him the most senior black man in corporate UK. particularly focusing on bringing in talented African and
Michael is tasked with helping to turn around the African Caribbean men and women to senior positions at BT.
stagnating revenues of the industry. Recruitment of talent Michael has served on several boards and non-profit
specialising in innovative software and tech is a key goal, councils, including the business advisory council for the
as the sector bids to fight off challenges from the likes of Dallas District 11 Federal Reserve Bank. In 2016, he was
WhatsApp and Facebook. recognised by Savoy Magazine as one of the Top 100 Most
Known as a thought leader on topics ranging from the Influential Blacks in Corporate America.
future of wireless CapEx, Agile common pitfalls and software Also in 2016, Michael was recognised by the Financial
defined networking, he came to the post from management Times and UPStanding as one of the top 100 executives in the
consulting and business strategy firm Boston Consulting US and UK fighting discrimination and championing ethnic
Group, based in Dallas, Texas. diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

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