Cable giant NTL has hired merger specialist Stephen Burch from Comcast to help push through its acquisition of rival Telewest - in a move that sees NTL chief executive Simon Duffy leave his post before the deal completes and as it tries to buy Virgin Mobile.

As from January next year, Mr Burch becomes president and chief executive of NTL and will then serve in the same role once the bumper merger deal is complete.

Mr Burch, who has spent his entire 26-year career in the cable sector, was "instrumental" and a "key player" in the integration process when Comcast bought AT&T Broadband, according to NTL, which reeled off a string of qualities that made him suitable for the top job at the cable group.

For the past five years, Mr Burch has been the president of Comcast's Atlantic division.

His arrival means that Mr Duffy becomes executive vice-chairman, under overall head of the business James Mooney. Mr Mooney said today that Mr Duffy will concentrate on "external management", including group strategy and business development, European and UK regulatory affairs and mergers and acquisitions.

Mr Mooney added: "We will look to Stephen [Burch] to lead NTL through our merger with Telewest," saying: "Today's appointments will also ensure that we are more effectively positioned to compete in the ever-changing UK communications marketplace."

The management changes at NTL come at a busy time for the cable group. As well as trying to complete the acquisition of Telewest - which will create a dominant cable operator that hopes to compete with satellite broadcaster BSkyB - NTL also wants to buy Virgin Mobile, the mobile phones group majority owned by billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson.

NTL earlier this month offered 323p a share for Virgin Mobile, in an £817 million deal the group rejected as undervaluing the company. Sir Richard owns 72 per cent of Virgin Mobile through the Virgin Group.

Sir Richard backed the offer at 323p a share and indicated later he was willing to accept less to give minority shareholders the chance of securing a better deal themselves.

A successful takeover of Virgin Mobile would create a £4.5 billion media giant that would be capable of offering fixed and mobile telephony services, as well as broadband access and digital television.

NTL also said today that it was restructuring the merger as a reverse takeover. This could help it preserve existing contracts, including those it has with the BBC.

Times Recommends

• Lies and cover-up at MG Rover exposed by report
• High oil prices push manufacturing costs up
• Primark founder steps down as chief executive