Dunedin City Holdings Ltd general manager Jemma Adams will take over from former chief executive Barbara Bridger who resigned at the start of this year.
Ms Adams said she was excited to take up her new position in early September.
"It is a real privilege to be just the third chief executive of this amazing organisation since it was founded in 1988.
"I have observed, in a personal capacity, the incredible support the trust provides to the not-for-profit sector around Otago and I’m looking forward to continuing this great work."
The trust played "a distinctive role" as a funding organisation in Otago.
She was eager to see it continue to "challenge and test itself" on how it could best invest in the community.
Trust chairman Andy Kilsby said trustees were excited to welcome Ms Adams at a time when it had a refreshed strategic focus and a dedication to building stronger relevant community connections.
He said she brought a wealth of experience in strategic planning, stakeholder relationship building and astute management of community assets and investments, along with a real passion to drive change.
Ms Adams has previously held senior managerial roles at Price Waterhouse Coopers and Parliament and Ministerial Services, before taking up her present role at Dunedin City Holdings in 2018.
The trust has an endowment of more than $287 million and provides grants to communities residing in the provincial district of Otago — North Otago, Central Otago, South Otago, greater Dunedin and the Wānaka ward of the Queenstown Lakes district.
