Jim Hassell departs NBN Co

Jim Hassell, NBN Co’s head of product development and industry relations, has resigned to take up the chief executive position at Broadcast Australia.

Hassell, a former managing director of Sun Microsystems Australia, has previously worked with Broadcast Australia as chief operating officer.

He takes up the new job in March 2013.

NBN Co appears to have split Hassell's former role in two, with the responsibilities to be divided between two employees.

Hassell's role had encompassed responsibility for "sales, pricing, industry relations and regulatory functions", according to a biography on NBN Co's website.

NBN Co said in a statement that it has appointed former SingTel Optus executive, John Simon, to the role of head of prodict and sales.

Simon spent the past decade at Optus, most recently as its managing director for strategy, corporate development and transformation. He also served in Telstra's multimedia businesses in the 1990s.

NBN Co has also given extra responsibilities to Caroline Lovell, formerly principal of regulatory affairs, now head of regulatory affairs and industry analysis.

Broadcast Australia chairman Gerry Moriarty praised the organisation's outgoing group CEO, Graeme Barclay, who held the role for over a decade.

"Graeme has been a strong leader and has successfully managed our broadcast transmission business, including the conversion of broadcast television services from analogue to digital and securing the contract with the Government to manage the clearance of the 700 MHz spectrum," Moriarty said in a statement.

"He has also lead BA's growth in critical online application hosting, public safety and private networks, site leasing and subway communications in overseas markets in Asia and North America."