The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has announced Emily Miles will replace Jason Feeney as chief executive this September.
She will join from the European Union (EU) Exit Delivery Group at the Department Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), where she is acting director-general.
The FSA announced in January that Feeney planned to retire in June after 38 years in the civil service.
Miles, who has clocked up almost 20 years in the civil service, joined Defra in November 2015 as group director of strategy and co-ordinated work on the domestic implications of Brexit for Defra after the referendum in 2016.
FSA chair Heather Hancock said Miles bought an impressive track record in developing strategy and achieving excellent results across government.
“She joins us at a pivotal moment in food regulation, as we implement our new regulatory regime outside the EU, manage the short-term impacts of leaving the EU, and drive forward our modernisation plans.”
Rod Ainsworth, the FSA’s director of regulatory and legal strategy will continue as interim chief executive until September.
