The Civil Aviation Authority today confirmed that Richard Moriarty will step up to become its new chief executive.
As a result, Paul Smith joined aviation regulator on Monday to replace Moriarty as the CAA’s group director consumers and markets.
Smith was most recently chief executive of the Australian Energy Market Commission.
He previously worked at Ofgas (later Ofgem), including as head of market surveillance, before moving to become deputy director of price control at postal service regulator Postcomm (now Ofcom).
Moriarty re-joined the CAA in 2016 as group director of consumers and markets and deputy chief executive.
Prior to joining he was the chief executive at the Legal Services Board, which oversees the legal profession in England and Wales.
He has also held a number of senior public and private sector roles including Affinity Water, the Social Housing Regulator, the Postal Services Commission and the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets.
CAA chairwoman Dame Deirdre Hutton said: “Richard is an extraordinarily able leader and we are very pleased to confirm his appointment to the chief executive role.
“During two distinct periods working at the CAA, Richard has increasingly shown just what an able leader he is, perhaps no more so than during the time when Monarch Airways went into administration.
“We very much look forward to working with Richard and Paul in their new roles.”