Tony Hetherington, who has worked with the UK's HSE since 1986, will take up the new role in August.
Hetherington has more than 30 years' experience with the HSE and spent his first ten years working as a field inspector. He then worked on the implementation of the original Construction Design and Management (CDM) Regulations. Before taking on the role as director of the HSE's energy division in November 2014, he worked in the Hazardous Installations Directorate from 2010.
WorkSafe New Zealand's chief operating officer Phil Parkes said: "[Hetherington] has worked with most major sectors of the UK's high hazards industries developing intervention strategies, leading accident and incident investigations and taking enforcement action. This includes investigating construction deaths, offshore gas releases and major failures in infection control in hospitals."
Parkes added that Hetherington also has experience of working with other regulators, including coordinating offshore safety and environmental processes and supporting the UK financial regulator for the gas industry to both reduce the costs of gas main replacement and maintain safety standards for the public.