Leethen Bartholomew's appointment comes as the centre - run by Barnardo's in partnership with the Local Government Association - expands its remit to include preventing child abuse linked to faith or belief, and breast ironing or flattening.
Bartholomew, who has been a social worker for almost 20 years, has spent more than a decade tackling FGM and had spent time training social workers at the national FGM centre prior to its opening in March 2015.
He is due to take over from interim head Meg Fassam-Wright on 4 December. Former head of the centre Celia Jeffreys left the centre at the end of March to become safeguarding children lead at the Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust.
"I want the centre to not only be known for combating female genital mutilation but also for protecting children from other forms of harmful practices," Bartholomew said.
"I want it to be the go-to place when professionals need research, when they need training and consultancy, in addition to working innovatively with local authorities."
"People are sometimes surprised to find a man so strongly involved in this work, but it's rarely been an issue in the decade I've spent working with affected communities to prevent and tackle FGM.
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