Barclays has confirmed Financial Director Chris Lucas will step down this week for health reasons.Lucas was due to depart the company on February 28th 2014 but said he would now leave on Friday. "My health was a key factor behind my decision to step down which we announced in February," he said in a statement. "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." His departure leaves the bank without a key executive as it seeks to raise £5.8bn from shareholders. The fundraising, which is expected to be launched next month, is part of a plan to plug a £13bn "gap" to meet the Bank of England's new rules.In July the lender announced it had appointed Tushar Morzaria, Chief Financial Officer of JP Morgan Chase's corporate and investment banking division, to replace Lucas. However, Barclays expected a long handover period when Morzaria joined in autumn and he is not due on the board until January.Peter Estlin, Group Financial Controller, will be Acting Chief Financial Officer until October 15th, Barclays said.Group Chief Executive, Antony Jenkins, said: "It is typical of Chris that last year when he told me that he wished to step down he offered to stay as long as he could while we found and inducted a successor. "I am very grateful for his support, advice and wisdom during my first year as Chief Executive. Chris has helped navigate our company through many challenges during his six years with the business, and has played a key part in building the foundations which will ensure Barclays becomes the 'Go-To' bank in the years ahead."Lucas is one of four employees under investigation by regulators into Barclays' commercial agreements with Qatari investors who led a rescue fundraising of the bank during the 2008 financial crisis.Barclays said last month it was contesting the preliminary findings of the Financial Conduct Authority's investigation. RD