Del Missier was appointed to the new role of COO, which included IT responsibilities, just over a week ago on 25 June. At the time, Barclays said that the new appointment would help it meet new regulatory requirements, such as those related to .

He was promoted from his role as co-chief executive of Barclay's corporate and investment banking division, a role he had filled since 1 October 2010, with Rich Ricci.

Last year, del Missier was revealed to be the highest paid senior executive at Barclays, earning a salary and bonus of £14.3 million in 2010. Including shares, his pay package was worth £47.3 million in total.

He joined Barclays Capital in 1997, prior to which he held senior technology, finance and front office positions at the Bank of Boston and the Bank of New England.

In a statement, del Missier said: "We built one of the premier global investment banks from scratch - something that we are all very proud of. The firm is as strong today as it has ever been and is incredibly well placed to succeed within the post-financial reform competitive landscape.