Hackitt’s five-year term will begin on the 1st October.

Prior to this appointment, Hackitt was director of the chemistry for Europe project with the European Chemical Industry Council based in Brussels.

Sir Bill Callaghan said: "Congratulations to Judith Hackitt on her appointment. Her previous role as a Commissioner and her considerable experience in the chemical industry makes her well placed for the responsibility for taking forward the HSC's strategy for making health and safety a cornerstone of our society, achieving a record for workplace health and safety that leads the world and seeing through the merger of HSC and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)."