Adds BT CEO comment in paragraph 3, context in paragraphs 7-10

By Paul Sandle and Yadarisa Shabong

LONDON, June 29 (Reuters) - BT BT.L and Verizon VZ.N on Monday announced a deal to combine their international enterprise operations into a 50:50 joint venture, focussing on serving multinational clients and bringing together $4 billion in combined annual revenue.

Verizon has agreed to pay BT an equalisation payment of $625 million, and both companies will hold equal voting rights in the new venture, which will serve more than 3,000 customers in over 180 countries, they said in a joint statement.

“This is a very fragmented market and this could be the start of further consolidation,” BT Chief Executive Allison Kirkby said in an interview with Reuters. “We could possibly look to bring in third parties at some point in the future.”

The deal marks a milestone for Kirkby, who has been steadily refocusing the 180-year-old British telecoms group on its home UK market while shedding international assets.

Verizon CEO Dan Schulman, who has been pushing his own turnaround at the U.S. wireless carrier, said the venture was "the clear answer" for international customers who need secure, flexible connectivity that works across borders and cloud environments.

'A SCALED PLAYER'

BT and Verizon named Martijn Blanken, a former executive at Australia's Telstra TLS.AX and Netherlands-based KPN KPN.AS, as CEO-designate of the new company. Blanken will join BT Group from September 1, 2026, and work with both parent companies as they prepare to launch the joint venture.

“We see this as a unique opportunity to create a scaled player to serve our multinational customers much better,” Kirkby said, adding that the two companies' customer footprints were complementary, with only the odd overlap.

Weakness in its international business has been a drag on earnings for BT, Britain's largest telecoms group.

Media reports last month said that BT was reviving talks with firms such as AT&T T.N, Orange ORAN.PA and Verizon for the struggling business.

The $625 million payment to BT will be used to fund the venture, and any remaining amount will be used to pay down debt, Kirkby said.

BT's shares were up about 1% in early London trade.