Outgoing BBC director general Mark Thompson is to become president and chief executive of the New York Times Company, the US firm said.

Thompson, 55, will relocate to New York and will begin his new role in November.

Arthur Sulzberger, chairman of the company, said last night: "Mark is a gifted executive with strong credentials whose leadership at the BBC helped it to extend its trusted brand identity into new digital products and services.

"Our board concluded that Mark's experience and his accomplishments at the BBC made him the ideal candidate to lead the Times Company at this moment in time when we are highly focused on growing our business through digital and global expansion."

Thompson announced in March that he would step down from his role at the BBC - which he has held since 2004 - following the London Olympics.

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