There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes at BT Wholesale and we’re a wide-reaching part of BT. From Wholesale fixed, Ventures, MNO and MVNO – all the way to our special services like the 999 emergency services – there are many cogs in the machine.
And we couldn’t do it without our exceptional individuals. We’re incredibly proud of our people and want you to be able to put a face to what we do. That’s why we spoke to Faz Rasool, Senior Manager, Professional Services, BT Wholesale, to delve into his role and reveal the best things about it, as well as his thoughts on the Hope United initiative and what’s important to him outside of work.
What do you do at BT?
“I started my BT career over 17 years ago working across sales, operations, commercial and product. Since joining BT, I have worked in SME, Global Services, Business and now BT Wholesale. Although this may sound a little cheesy, it is by far my favourite, as I’m bringing together all my experiences into a single role.
I lead a team of solution architects. In its simplest form, that means we solve the real issues our partners face within their organisations. For example, we provide our partners with access to BT resources to enable them to deliver for their customers – whether that be a BT Engineer, Project Manager or our extremely skilled riggers. We’ve supported our partners with some real quirky solutions including changing locks on 3,000 cabinets and installing 5G cell sites.”
What is the best thing about your job?
“In one word – enablement. My team have enabled many of our partners the opportunity to acquire new business in places they previously never had any reach. In particular, we have removed geographical barriers for most, if not all, of our partners based in the UK. So, if you were a small communications provider based in the Southwest, my team could enable you to win a contract in the Scottish Isles or even in multiple areas across Great Britain.
By trusting BT with their delivery, our partners have been able to free up space, time, and expensive resource to grow their businesses. What better job satisfaction is there than that?!”
What are your thoughts around Hope United?
“I see Hope United as being much wider than just a campaign to tackle online hate; I see it as a vehicle for change. Growing up, we were always told not to talk about race, religion, or politics at work, which in my view has led us to become ignorant in some cases. Many companies have finally woken up to the fact that differing views and opinions reflect the makeup of society, creating a well-rounded work force. Talking openly is also essential to stamping out hate.
For me, Hope United has helped lead a change within BT where we can safely talk about topics that previously make people uncomfortable – like race and religion. Now we have a better understanding of the beliefs and opinions of those around us, and we’ve been educated on how we can unite against hate. Being a D&I champion within BT, this campaign makes me feel so proud of our organisation. Hope beats hate, always!”
What do you do outside of work?
“Family, friends and football.
I’m very much a family man both inside and outside of work. My wife is a practising GP, which means I’m always getting told what I should and shouldn’t eat. We have a four-year-old son and our world revolves around him. Pre-pandemic, we did plenty of travelling abroad; however, we now try to do a weekend away somewhere in the UK.
I also love spending time with friends, and not to go on about the pandemic, but it’s highlighted how important it is to have good friends around you. I’m a huge foodie so my friends and I generally spend time in and around the Northwest looking for new places to eat.
Finally, football is a large part of my life – both watching and playing. I play 5-a-side a few nights a week and watch as much football as possible. I support Manchester United and try to get to games as often as I can. I can’t wait until my son is old enough to go to watch the weekly games with me.”
If you want to hear from more of the BT Wholesale team, check out our Get to know Paul Beacham blog, who is the Senior Manager, Data Networking Portfolio.
