Mr Crombie, of Dunedin, is a professional director and chartered accountant.
He was appointed as a director to the DCHL Board in July last year. Mr Crombie replaces retiring Chair Denham Shale, who will remain on the Board until later this year.
DCHL is the parent company for Council-owned companies.
In announcing the appointment, Mayor of Dunedin Dave Cull thanked Mr Shale for his considerable contribution during a period of review and change for DCHL.
Mr Cull welcomed Mr Crombie to the role, saying, "Mr Crombie will bring his expertise and experience to bear, building on the work of Mr Shale in refocusing Council-owned companies for the future."