Sir Hamid Patel is to take on the chair role at the Confederation of School Trusts (CST), replacing Rob McDonough, who stepped down last week.
The Star Academies chief executive has served on the CST board since 2019.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve CST and its members as chair of the board,” said Sir Hamid.
“You have my absolute commitment to represent the interests of all trusts, of all sizes and in all geographies in England.
“CST has grown exponentially to become a well-regarded national organisation representing the majority of the trust sector,” he said.
“Alongside positioning ourselves for the future, we will continue to deliver quality services for our members: our power and credibility come from [members]” said Sir Hamid, adding that it would be a “privilege” to serve members alongside the the CST board team.
Mr McDonough had been chair of CST since before it relaunched to become a sector body for multi-academy trusts. It was previously known as the Freedom and Autonomy for Schools - National Association.
Leora Cruddas, chief executive of CST, said: “In Sir Hamid, CST has a strong chair and person of considerable influence across the whole sector, including with policymakers and regulators.
“His commitment to the trust sector is unquestionable,” she added.
