Mumbai: Noted British journalist Deborah Turness was on Thursday appointed as the new CEO of BBC News and Current affairs. She takes over from Fran Unsworth, who had announced her decision to leave the corporation last year.

Prior to this, she held two positions in NBC News International where she was president of NBC News from 2013 to 2017, and later president of NBC News International. An editorial heavyweight, Turness became the first-ever woman to be the president of a network division in the US.

She has previously worked as editor of ITV News for almost a decade starting in 2004, which also made her the UK's first female editor of the network news. In April 2021 she left her role at NBC and returned to THE ITN as CEO.

“There has never been a greater need for the BBC's powerful brand of impartial, trusted journalism,” said Turness in a statement. "It is a great privilege to be asked to lead and grow BBC News at a time of accelerated digital growth and innovation when its content is reaching more global consumers on more platforms than ever before.”