Virgin Media O2 creates new “simpler, faster, focused” Consumer Unit led by Lyssa McGowan OBE who joins the company as Consumer CEO

• Combination of current Commercial and Data and Operations areas into a new single Consumer unit which will include trading, propositions, digital, customer service and retail
• Lyssa McGowan joins Virgin Media O2 as Consumer CEO with extensive executive experience including as CEO of Pets at Home and more than a decade at Sky culminating in her role as Chief Consumer Officer

1 July 2026: Virgin Media O2 has today announced that it will combine its Commercial and Data and Operations functions into a new single Consumer unit led by Lyssa McGowan OBE, who joins the company’s Executive Committee reporting to CEO, Lutz Schüler. Lyssa joins with extensive retail and commercial leadership experience in major UK businesses including Pets at Home and Sky.

Combining the commercial and operations teams creates a single consumer function that has the focus, data and talent to better understand and enhance customer experiences, simplify decision making and move faster in a highly competitive market. The new unit will put all key consumer areas together in one place, including trading and propositions, digital, data and insights, customer service and retail.

As part of these changes Rob Orr, Chief Operations Officer, and Christian Hindennach, Chief Commercial Officer, will leave the business, stepping back from their responsibilities in the coming weeks but supporting the transition process as the new function is established.

Lutz Schüler, CEO of Virgin Media O2 said: “It has always been our ambition to bring these teams together and these changes align squarely with our long-term strategy, ensuring that we are better set up to serve our customers and build even stronger foundations for the future.

“This is a highly competitive and rapidly evolving market so just doing what we’ve always done isn’t the answer – we need to be simpler, faster and focused. These changes will do that with Lyssa being exactly the right person to lead our new consumer unit. Lyssa has a wealth of experience, and I have full confidence that she will bring fresh thinking and healthy challenge to the executive team.

“I would like to extend thanks from all of Virgin Media O2 to Rob and Christian who have both shown true dedication to the business over many years and have been instrumental in shaping the vision for the new consumer organisation.”

Lyssa McGowan OBE said: “Returning to telco and joining Virgin Media O2’s talented team at such a pivotal time is a real honour. With some of the UK’s most iconic brands and a clear mission to be relentlessly customer focused, the creation of a single consumer unit makes complete strategic sense. I’m looking forward to meeting the team and hitting the ground running from day one.”

About Lyssa McGowan OBE

Lyssa McGowan joins Virgin Media O2 from 8 July 2026 and was most recently Chief Executive Officer of FTSE 250-listed Pets at Home, the UK’s largest pet care provider, leading a transformation of the business underpinned by data and technology.

Lyssa is a highly experienced leader, having spent over a decade at Sky, culminating in her role as Chief Consumer Officer where she had responsibility for the Sky UK consumer business across mobile, broadband, TV and insurance, serving more than 10 million customers and achieving over £10 billion of revenue.

Lyssa was also a non-executive director of Morrisons until its sale to CD&R and has previously held roles at McKinsey and Telewest. Lyssa was awarded an OBE in June 2025 for services to Retail.