Ball quits BSkyB

net1

BSkyB has ended a week of speculation by confirming that chief executive Tony Ball is stepping down from his job after four years in charge.
Mr Ball will stay on BSkyB until a successor is appointed, but he is expected to leave before his current contract expires at the end of May next year.

He will also be giving up his position as a BSkyB director, but is to take on a new role as a consultant to the UK satellite broadcaster's largest shareholder, Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation.

The announcement ends a week of mounting speculation over Mr Ball's position at BSkyB, since it emerged that he was planning to leave the satellite broadcaster before the end of his contract.

Mr Ball has just bought 180 acres of land near Barcelona out of the £9m he pocketed when he cashed in share options earlier this year, but no one expects him to retire.

His departure also opens the way for Mr Murdoch's son, James, to take over at BSkyB.

It is believed James Murdoch will arrive in London this week to meet BSkyB's independent directors as part of his father's plan to install him as chief executive.