BP Amoco chief Bryan Sanderson has been named chairman of the new Learning and Skills Council, which will lead post-16 education and training from next April, writes Tony Tysome.
Mr Sanderson will begin work towards setting up the LSC from September, when he will stand down as group managing director of BP Amoco and chief executive of BP Amoco Chemical.
Mr Sanderson, 59, said he would be on a "steep learning curve" in his new role because he had had "only limited contact" with the further education sector during his career as an international business leader.
But he said that he expected to be drawing on his experience of managing change and complex distributed organisations when he begins leading a regime with an expected Pounds 6 billion budget and thousands of staff.
Further education colleges have a critical role to play in raising the expectations and achievements of people from underprivileged and minority backgrounds, Mr Sanderson said.
"I grew up in a coal mining area in County Durham, and I regard the provision of equal opportunity in education and training for all citizens as one of the most fundamental obligations of democracy. I welcome the opportunity to be involved," he said.
Mr Sanderson said he was likely to maintain some non-executive posts in industry, in addition to his two-day-a-week job with the LSC. He has yet to decide whether he will continue as vice-chairman of governors at the London School of Economics.
Announcing the appointment, education secretary David Blunkett said: "The LSC's impact will depend largely on the quality of its people, and I am sure that the leadership that Bryan can offer will itself make an important contribution to its success."