Bale, who will start at on June 7, will be responsible for running the online editorial team for The Sunday Times and Times Online, which broke even in the second quarter of 2003.
Since 2002, Bales has been working as a consultant advising clients, including Microsoft and Reuters, on retail and professional internet projects. Prior to that he spent two years at FT.com working as editor-in-chief of FTMarketWatch.com and was latterly editor of FT.com Markets and FT Investor.com.
His career at Reuters spanned more than 15 years and included stints as bureau chief in Bucharest, political correspondent in London and in Melbourne and Sydney, where he started his Reuters career.
Robert Thomson, editor of The Times, said: "Times Online offers readers a powerful combination of one of the world's most respected and trusted media brands, as well as a depth and breadth of content that delivers quality journalism whatever the subject. Peter will be working closely with all divisions of TNL to ensure that we continue to develop the site and further extend the brand."
Since its launch in 2001, Times Online has grown and it now has 2.4m unique users and was the first UK media owner to launch an e-paper.
John Witherow, editor of The Sunday Times, said: "Peter Bale is a talented editor with an outstanding knowledge of the power of online content and its potential."
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