After a year-and-a-half as the acting head of the Health Ministry, Chai Chuah has been appointed as its permanent head.
The long-awaited announcement was made by the State Services Commission today.
Mr Chuah is a chartered accountant and former head of the Hutt Valley District Health Board, with a long experience in the health sector.
He has been the acting chief executive and director general of the Ministry since Kevin Woods departed a year and a half ago.
Progress in finding a replacement was interrupted by the general election and the appointment of a new health minister.
State Services Commissioner Iain Rennie said he was pleased to appoint Mr Chuah as permanent head of the ministry, on a five-year contract.
The ministry has a budget of $193 million, at the head of a sector spending $15 billion of taxpayers' money per annum.
