Former Global and Virgin Media marketer Cilesta Van Doorn will serve as managing director of group brand, after joining BT in a brand strategy role last year.
BT Group has appointed Cilesta Van Doorn to the newly created role of managing director of group brand.
Assuming the position with immediate effect, Van Doorn will lead the development of the BT Group brand strategy, drawing on insights about customers and competitors. She will report directly to BT Group chief strategy and change officer Tom Meakin, with a dotted reporting line to consumer CEO Claire Gillies.
Van Doorn has been in a contract brand strategy role at BT Group since October 2024.
Reacting to her appointment on LinkedIn, Van Doorn described her new role as helping to shape “the next chapter” for BT and its “iconic brand”.
“For me, this isn’t just a new role – it’s one of those rare opportunities that truly feels meant to be. It offers a bold vision, a legendary brand and the chance to build something with real impact as we deliver on our ambition to become the UK’s most trusted connector of people, business and society,” she wrote.
Van Doorn previously served as CMO and a board member at Global for over two years. Heading up a team of 80, Van Doorn’s remit covered brand marketing, in-house creative and design, commercial marketing, communications, enterprise and events.
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Prior to joining Global, she spent more than three years at Virgin Media, ascending from marketing director to executive director of brand and marketing. She left the company in October 2021 following its merger with O2.
Before joining Virgin Media, Van Doorn held a series of senior marketing, brand and corporate communications roles at Tele2 Nederland (T-Mobile Netherlands) and telecoms company Versatel.
The creation of the new group brand role comes at a time when BT is looking to push forward. Speaking on the release of the company’s third quarter trading update in January, chief executive Allison Kirkby said BT’s ongoing modernisation “continues at pace”. The firm cited BT Group NPS, which rose four percentage points during the third quarter to 29.6, which the business says reflects “ongoing improvements in customer experience”.
On the publication of its half year results in November, BT also claimed customer satisfaction has improved across its three consumer brands – BT, EE and Plusnet – for the first time in nearly three years.
