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Faircliff is to take up a new post to head the news operations and will also been given responsibility for other areas of the site and its content including coverage on mobile phones and interactive television.

Reporting directly to Alisa Bowen, head of Reuters.co.uk, Faircliff is expected to work out a notice period at the Telegraph and make the short trip across Canada Square to Reutersover the summer.

The switch ends a frantic week at the Telegraph after chief executive Murdoch MacLennan brought in Annelies van den Belt, deputy advertising sales director at arch rival The Times, to front the newspaper’s digital operation, including taking responsibility for Telegraph.co.uk.

Alisa Bowen, head of Reuters.co.uk, said: “We are at the start of an exciting new chapter. Reuters has always been a major media brand, and by now making more of our information directly available to people we are able to build a new audience for our news.

“Tim’s publishing experience for one of the UK’s most prominent news brands will be invaluable in helping us drive our digital media services and grow audience share.”

Faircliff said, “There is no doubt that the global strength of Reuters, combined with new technologies and platforms, create a great opportunity to move the business forward in what is the most dynamic and innovative of mediums.”

Meanwhile Reuters has appointed Dean Wright as its first senior vice president and managing editor for consumer services.

Wright will lead the editorial operations and programming for Reuters’ global media services, including the online, mobile, and interactive television platforms.

He said: “As we move forward with our consumer media strategy, I believe there is a unique opportunity to make more journalism history as we put Reuters journalists’ great work in front of a wider audience around the world than ever before.”

By Kevin May