Suffolk County Council's new chief executive Deborah Cadman has formally started work at the authority's Ipswich headquarters at Endeavour House – and her first decision was to appoint Lucy Robinson as her deputy.
Ms Robinson has been interim chief executive at the authority since August and stood in as chief for three months before that following the sudden departure of Andrea Hill in the spring.
Ms Cadman, who was previously chief executive of the East of England Development Agency, started work on Monday with a series of meetings.
She said: 'I've been genuinely touched by the way people have supported me following my appointment.
For me this is the most exciting job in Suffolk and I'm thrilled that I now have the opportunity to tackle the challenges it presents.
'The political direction at Suffolk County Council is clear and I want to work with the leadership, and with staff, who I know have a genuine commitment to delivering for the people of Suffolk.'
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here