BBC World News has appointed James Stephenson as head of news.

Stephenson joined the BBC as a researcher on Panorama before becoming assistant editor of Newsnight in 1998 and deputy editor in 2000. Three years later, Stephenson launched the Politics Show on BBC One and served as Middle East bureau chief from 2007 to 2009.

Stephenson is currently editor of BBC News at Six and BBC News at Ten. He is also deputy head of the BBC newsroom and will continue in that role, having responsibility for TV, radio and online in the UK and internationally.

Mary Hockaday, head of the BBC newsroom, said: "He (Stephenson) has all the right qualities to develop our international journalism working with our production teams and journalists in London and around the world.”

Stephenson will be tasked with improving the multiplatform delivery of video output on the international website BBC.com in addition to BBC World News. The corporation also said it aims to continue innovation and develop programmes on the channel.

Stephenson said: “I am delighted to have been asked to run BBC World News. I look forward to working with the World News team and the whole of BBC News to make the most of all we can offer to our global audience."

He will take up his role shortly. Andrew Roy, his predecessor, has been appointed as world editor of BBC News, responsible for running the BBC's international newsgathering operations.