Stephen Carter, the former Ofcom chief executive and UK government minister, is to leave French telecoms equipment maker Alcatel-Lucent to return to Britain, according to the FT.

Carter was the founding chief executive of UK telecoms regulator Ofcom, prior to becoming chief of strategy for the then prime minister Gordon Brown, subsequently serving as communications minister. He was responsible for commissioning and writing much of the Digital Britain report in 2010, which developed superfast broadband policies.

On leaving government in 2010, he became head of marketing and strategy for Alcatel in 2010, subsequently serving as president of its operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. More recently he has overseen projects to turn round the fortunes of the ailing French telecoms group, which has also seen chief executive Ben Verwaayen stand down to make way for Michel Combes, the former Vodafone executive, whose tenure starts on April 2.

Reports suggest that Carter’s departure is not linked to any failure to win the chief executive role, but rather a longer-term desire to return to the UK with his family. He is understood to working on special projects for the company this summer, although he will be officially leaving the company at the end of April. Reports also suggest he has already lined up his next role on his return to the UK.

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