Professor Rod Morgan, currently head of HM Inspectorate of Probation, was selected before Christmas but the announcement was put on hold until the Home Office had revealed its plan to reform adult correctional services.
He starts in his new role on 5 April.
Reducing local variations in youth offending team effectiveness and resources, along with improving the quality of youth justice research, would be high on his agenda as chair.
Morgan told YPN he also hoped to raise the profile of the youth justice system and would like to see fewer young people put in custody.
"I'm quite focused on making sure we've got clear priorities and are getting hard, reliable data to ensure that we are hitting those priorities, " he said.
News of Morgan's appointment came as it emerged that the Youth Justice Board's chief executive, Mark Perfect, had decided to leave. The board hopes to find a replacement by June, when Perfect's contract ends.
"Moving on will be my last act of leadership for youth justice," said Perfect. "I am proud of what the board and I have achieved together."
A spokeswoman for the board said Perfect was not leaving for another post.
The Home Office has appointed Andrew Bridges, Morgan's deputy, as acting chief inspector of probation until the future of the inspectorate has been decided. It is likely that the probation inspectorate, which also inspects youth offending teams, will merge with the prisons inspectorate.
See Big Interview, p13.
