YouView has announced that high-profile CTO Anthony Rose is stepping down from his role, although the IPTV platform insisted to TechRadar that it is part of the 'transition to the next phase'.
Rose, a former BBC man and one of the leading lights behind the iPlayer, was perhaps the most recognisable name attached to the YouView project, an IPTV project involving Britain's major terrestrial broadcasters (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five), BT, Talk Talk and Arqiva.
Although he will stay on in 'an advisory capacity' the decision is likely to raise eyebrows within the industry.
YouView insists, however, that the change is about "strengthening our technology and operations teams to ensure we deliver YouView in good time and in great shape."
Not a shock
"It is not a shock," a spokesperson told TechRadar. "We came to a mutual agreement that this is part of the next phase for YouView."
The CTO role will not be directly replaced, although Sef Tuma will now come in as head of technical delivery.
"We are ensuring that in key project management areas such as technology and operations we are expanding capacity to ensure we meet the demands of this exciting project," insisted YouView chief executive Richard Halton.
"As we move into this next phase of our development I want to pay tribute to the brilliant work Anthony Rosehas done to shape the consumer proposition and I am pleased that he has agreed to continue to advise the project.
"We are delighted Sef is being seconded into our leadership team. He has a hugely impressive track record of successfully delivering major integration projects in our industry.
"We now have a highly experienced technical delivery team committed to developing an exciting new service."
YouView is supposed to be arriving by the middle of 2011, although there has been suggestions that even this broad window could be missed.
