About Us

Dorothy Smith
BT

Responsible to the Group Strategy Director for ensuring that BT’s public policy and strategic positioning reflects regulatory and market developments and achieves appropriate external outcomes. This involves effective representation amongst the stakeholder community externally and the building of  closer policy, political and industry links to achieve results.

Dorothy took up her present post following extensive experience in Government and industry.  Having graduated from Oxford University, she joined the UK Civil Service Department in 1975 as an Administration Trainee, moving to the Cabinet Office in 1977 as Private Secretary to Lord Lever of Manchester, when he was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and a Member of the Cabinet. 

In 1980 she joined the National Coal Board Central Secretariat to work on Government and Parliamentary Relations.  In 1985, she worked in the Chairman's office with Sir Ian MacGregor, and in 1986 was appointed the Assistant Secretary to the British Coal Corporation. 

In October 1989 Dorothy joined British Gas plc as Manager, External Relations in the Government Relations Department, handling relations with Whitehall and Westminster. 

Dorothy was invited to visit the United States in June 1990, as a guest of the US Government, to join their International Visitor Programme and she travelled extensively throughout the US, studying Environmental Protection policies.  

From January 1992, she became Head of International Relations at British Gas,  including setting up the Company's Brussels Office.  She moved to Brussels in August 1994, as Head of European Affairs. 

Upon the de-merger of British Gas in February 1997, Dorothy became Head of European Affairs for the Centrica group.

On 1st September 1997, Dorothy was appointed BT’s European Affairs Director, based in Brussels. She worked closely with the European Commission, the European Parliament and Member States’ Permanent Representations.
 
Dorothy was elected Chair of the Board of the European Telecommunications Operators’ Association (ETNO) in January 2002, and was re-elected for a further year in January 2003.  In 2004 she chaired the Association’s Administrative Committee.

On January 2005 she moved to London to take up her present position as BT’s Director of Group Public Policy in Group Strategy Directorate.
 
Dorothy is a member of the Royal Overseas League, and of the Reform Club in London.

She is married with three teenage children.