Ian Watmore, permanent secretary for the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS), has been appointed as the new chief executive of the Football Association (FA).

Watmore was appointed from a shortlist of three candidates who were interviewed on 17 February for the opportunity to succeed Brian Barwick. It is expected that he will take up the position in June. A former government chief information officer and head of the Prime Minister's delivery unit, Watmore is also on the board of the English Institute of Sport, a publicly-funded body set up to help prepare elite athletes for major sporting events.

FA chair, Lord Triesman, said: "We had a very strong shortlist of candidates, but in Ian we have the right person to lead the organisation as chief executive officer." Watmore added: "With Lord Triesman and the board, Fabio Capello and the FA's staff, I want to ensure we are achieving success on and off the pitch across all levels of the game."