The College of Midwives has its first new chief executive in 30 years.
Alison Eddy, a practising midwife and the college's current second in charge, has taken over from long-serving Karen Guilliland.
The college said Ms Eddy was well qualified for the role, having worked as a lead maternity carer, or LMC midwife, and as a core midwife.
She was also the first midwife deputy chair of the Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Review Committee.
Late last year the Ministry of Health and the College of Midwives agreed agree a settlement in a contract dispute over pay equity issues for community midwives, according to a leaked email that had been sent to midwives.
The College maintains that a settlement has yet to be reached and negotiations are ongoing.
However, an official announcement and details of the settlement have not yet been released.