Roger Ward, former chief executive of the Colleges Employers Forum, is to head the new further education body, the Association of Colleges.
The combative negotiator was picked unanimously from a four-strong shortlist earlier this week by a panel drawn from the AoC board. His chief rival for the post, Ruth Gee, former chief executive of the Association for Colleges, will now be reconsidering her future.
Mr Ward's appointment ends a tense period of cohabitation for staff at the CEF and AFC, which merged last month. He said he foresaw "no immediate changes" among staff. A new board chairman and deputy chair will be decided next month.
Mr Ward said he would raise the profile of further education in Whitehall, among political parties and in industry. He intends to take the initiative in curriculum development and protect funding.
"There is a huge challenge to be met and colleges will meet it," he said. His appointment met a mixed reception within the sector, with many choosing to keep their true feelings off the record.
John Akker, general secretary of lecturers' union Natfhe, said: "We hope that now an appointment has been made, the association will look to the future and plan for a more harmonious relationship with the staff."
David Gibson, chairman of the association of Principals of Colleges, said: "Roger will do a very good job and we have a lot of respect for him but he has to work very hard to make sure that the organisation and his role in it is a unifying one."
Ken Ruddiman, principal of Sheffield College, said: "It's useful that we have someone we know and someone within the sector. Roger is clearly focused and has a degree of tenacity which is important."
Mike Austin, principal of Accrington and Rossendale College, Lancashire, said: "I'm sorry for Ruth who has been displaced by this process after working so hard to get the AFC up and running. The sector will be looking to Roger to show a wider range of skills than he has had to show so far."