The BBC has appointed the Channel 5 executive Kieran Clifton as head of strategy of its future media and technology (FM&T) division.

Clifton will take charge of planning the BBC's digital media operations from 1 November.

He leaves Channel 5 after six years. Clifton held a number of senior positions, most recently as the broadcaster's head of strategy, where he sat on the shadow YouView board.

Channel 5 is in the process of losing about 80 jobs – 25% of staff – as part of its new owner Richard Desmond's £20m cost-cutting drive. In July, Desmond paid £103.5m to buy the loss-making broadcaster from RTL.

An email sent to staff by John Tate, the BBC's director of policy and strategy, and Erik Huggers, the director of future media and technology, and seen by MediaGuardian.co.uk, said that the interim head of strategy, Anna Mallett, will work closely with Clifton "to ensure continuity".

Clifton will be based at Broadcasting House and will not join other FM&T colleagues moving to the corporation's new northern headquarters in Salford.

The former occupant of the post was James Micklethwait, who became the controller for journalism and BBC North strategy in July this year.

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