BT is expected to announce the move on Friday and Lowth will join the British telecoms group in the summer, Sky News said. (http://bit.ly/1LtawuL)

BG Group said last year that Lowth would leave the company once its takeover deal by Royal Dutch Shell is concluded.

BT was ordered last month by industry watchdog Ofcom to give its rivals greater access to its infrastructure to help improve high-speed broadband coverage, in an effort to avoid a break-up of the former monopoly group.

BT and Royal Dutch Shell were not immediately available for comment.

(Reporting by Parikshit Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Susan Fenton)