Tushar Morzaria has been appointed as the new finance director at Barclays and will joint eh top job in the month of October this year.

Morzaria, who has been working as the chief finance officer at JP MORGAN, will join the lender sooner than planned as Lucas left the company yesterday. He was originally expected to take up the role at Barclays in the New Year but the deteriorating health of Lucas led to his early joining. The bank has confirmed that 52-year-old Lucas, who was set to leave the company in the month of February, is leaving this week due to health reasons. The finance director missed the bank's half-year results presentation in the previous month.

Mr Lucas said in a statement on Tuesday, "My health was a key factor behind my decision to step down which we announced in February. Whilst I had hoped to be able to continue working until early next year it is now clear to me that with my health as it is this will no longer be possible. I want to do the right thing by Barclays, my family, and myself, and therefore I have reached the difficult decision to step down sooner. I feel confident that I leave Barclays financially robust and well placed to continue to serve its customers, clients, shareholders and other stakeholders."

The bank will be without a permanent finance chief when it announces full plans for a rights issue next month. Group financial controller Peter Estlin is expected to fill in till Mr. Morzaria comes on board.