LONDON--Stephen Doherty is departing Diageo to head corporate communications at Barclays. 

Doherty has held the position of director of communications at Diageo since 2007. He takes on the newly-created role of managing director and head of corporate communications at Barclays.

The appointment was confirmed in a statement from Barclays media relations director Giles Croot, who added that Doherty will report to Barclays marketing director Matt Hammerstein. 

Before joining Diageo, Doherty spent four years at Cohn & Wolfe, eventually occupying the role of corporate affairs MD and UK chief operating officer. He has also held agency positions at Weber Shandwick and Edelman, after starting his career in politics.