Darcey will officially assume the position on March 14 following the completion of a Board meeting.

Neville is stepping down after eight years having served the maximum term.

From 2013 to 2015, Darcey was chief executive of News International, publishers of The Times, The Sunday Times and The Sun newspapers.

Prior to this, he spent 15 years at Sky, initially as director of strategy and then as chief operating officer for the last six years.

Darcey played a prominent role in most of Sky’s major strategic decisions and its commercial and regulatory dealings during this period.

This included the acquisition of major sports broadcast rights, including the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Formula One and others.

He is currently the chairman of M247, the private equity-owned B2B technology services business, as well as a Board director for Sky New Zealand and for Arqiva.

Through Tide End Consulting, Darcey offers strategic advisory services to international media companies and has also advised on media issues in the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia and South Africa.

Originally from New Zealand, he has lived and worked in the UK since 1989.

"I am delighted to be appointed the next British Gymnastics chair and to continue the good work of Matt Neville," Darcey, who was a competitive gymnast in New Zealand as a teenager and later a coach and judge, said.

"Gymnastics played a big part in my life growing up in New Zealand and it is exciting to think I am getting back involved at such an exciting time for British Gymnastics.

"During my tenure, we will be focused on delivering the British Gymnastics strategic plan; striving to meet the participation boom, ensuring sustainable medal-success, being a leading example of good governance and integrity, and tackling the 'business of sport'.

"Some big challenges but I can’t wait to get started."

Neville added: "It’s been an honour to be the chair of British Gymnastics and I congratulate Mike on his appointment and wish him well.

"British Gymnastics has achieved unprecedented success and the sport’s popularity and results across key areas speak for itself.

"I am proud of the part I’ve played in helping British Gymnastics realise their ambition."

Great Britain won seven Olympic medals in gymnastics at Rio 2016, including two golds and a bronze for Max Whitlock.

Whitlock triumphed in the men's floor exercise and pommel horse events and came third in the individual all-around behind Japan's Kōhei Uchimura and Ukraine's Oleg Vernyayev.

Britain's impressive medal haul was completed by silver medals for Louis Smith in the men's pommel horse and Bryony Page in the women's individual trampoline, and bronzes for Nile Wilson in the men's horizontal bar and Amy Tinkler in the women's floor exercise.