By Torin Douglas BBC media correspondent

For many observers, Richard Sambrook's move from the post of director of BBC News will draw a final line under the events that led to the Hutton Inquiry.

Richard Sambrook was at the centre of the row with the government

Final, because the BBC has been trying to draw a line under the affair from the moment that Gavyn Davies resigned as the Corporation's chairman on the day Lord Hutton's report was published in January.

He saw his departure as the ultimate sacrifice the organisation could make, acknowledging the errors made by management and BBC governors.

Yet the following day director general Greg Dyke also left, after offering his resignation to the BBC governors.

The day after that, Andrew Gilligan resigned and, since then, there has been a stream of announcements designed to demonstrate that the BBC has learned from its mistakes and moved on.

There's been a disciplinary inquiry into the actions of the executives most directly involved.

The Neil Report has recommended changes to the BBC's journalistic structures, guidelines and procedures. And there's been a fundamental shake-up of the complaints system.

Unfinished business

But as long as Richard Sambrook remained as director of BBC News, some would have seen this as unfinished business.

As head of the BBC's UK news division, he was at the centre of the row with the Government, from the initial exchange of letters with Alastair Campbell to the Hutton Report itself, which criticised some of his actions.

Mr Sambook accepted some of those criticisms - and the need for changes to the BBC's guidelines and procedures, several of which he had championed.

But whatever others may think, he does not see his move as related to Hutton.

He insists the time is right for a move and a fresh challenge, after 24 years in the BBC and four years in his present job. And anyone who would portray it as a demotion may be hard pressed to do so.

Despite the all-embracing title, the director of BBC News does not run all the BBC's news output.

Helen Boaden has a distinguished journalistic track record

In his new job, as director of the World Service and Global News, Sambrook will be running all the BBC's international news services - the World Service on radio, the 24-hour TV network BBC World and the global online services in 43 languages.

World challenge

His challenge will be to secure the future of BBC World, which still loses around �16 million a year, and build on the huge reputation of the World Service in the face of changing technology and increasing competition.

The worldwide move from short-wave reception to FM - and the growing availability of satellite television - mean World Service audiences have been falling, though it still reaches almost 150 million listeners.

Sambrook's current job running the UK news operation - including flagship programmes such as Today, Newsnight, Panorama and the Ten O'Clock News - will be taken by Helen Boaden, who has been controller of Radio 4 for the past four years, during which time it has twice been named Sony Radio Station of the Year.

She has a distinguished journalistic track record, winning awards as a reporter for her coverage of Aids in Africa and safety standards in the oil industry.

She presented a range of programmes, including Woman's Hour, before becoming editor of Radio 4's File on Four and head of BBC current affairs.

She was also a member of the Neil team that reported last month on how the BBC should strengthen its journalism in the wake of the Hutton Report. Now she will be directly involved in implementing its findings.