BBC chief to head New York Times

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NEW YORK, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Mark Thompson, director general of the BBC since 2004, has been hired as chief executive and president of The New York Times effective this November.

Both media giants confirmed the news Wednesday.

The BBC announced last month George Entwistle would replace Thompson as its director general Sept. 17.

"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," New York Times Chairman Arthur Sulzberger said in a statement Wednesday.

"I'm particularly excited to be coming to New York Times Co. as it extends its influence digitally and globally," Thompson, 55, said.

The company owns The New York Times, International Herald Tribune and The Boston Globe newspapers. The BBC said the Times, which has been without a chief executive since Janet Robinson left in December 2011, posted revenues of $2.3 billion last year.

"I am sure that Mark will prove a real asset to the New York Times," BBC Trust Chairman Lord Patten said Wednesday. "He is a hugely experienced media executive and will bring insight, flair and drive to the job."