Stewart replaces outgoing chair Janice Shiner, who joined the agency in 2009 after spending three years in New Zealand helping to reform the country’s post-16 education system.
Over the past three years, Shiner has worked with the board of trustees and chief executive Fiona Blacke to establish a new business model for the organisation that has secured the agency’s future.
"It has been a challenging yet highly rewarding three years. I am delighted to be leaving knowing the NYA is in safe hands and has a positive foundation," said Shiner.
Stewart brings to his new role as chair more than 40 years’ experience. His career has encompassed roles within a number of Whitehall departments and government offices and includes directorships with regional development organisation Yorkshire Forward and working on the London 2012 Olympics.
Holloway will provide the voice of young people in her role as vice-chair.
On being appointed to the role of chair, Stewart commented: "This is a critical time for young people and I am determined that the value of youth work in supporting a healthy economy should be properly understood.
"Right now, the value of youth work to young people’s lives couldn’t be more important. We cannot afford as a society to overlook young people.
"To have them unemployed is bad enough, as quite apart from what it says about how we think of them and the damage that it does to them, the cost to the exchequer is unnecessary and wasteful. Young people are energetic, innovative and dynamic. To have that resource unused is simply ridiculous.
"My aim as chair over the next three years is to bang the drum for youth work. Engaged young people are a force for good – good for themselves, good for society and good for the economy."
