Dame Helen Ghosh has been announced as the new director-general of the National Trust, replacing long-time leader and fellow Dame, Fiona Reynolds.

Dame Helen (pictured), presently permanent secretary to the Home Office, has had a long career in the civil service, with a significant spell working on environmental issues with the Department for the Environment and Defra.

The new director-general is said to be a "long-term member" of the National Trust, and also of the Wildlife Trust in Oxfordshire – her local organisation.

Dame Helen takes the reigns from Dame Fiona who has overseen significant growth at the Trust over her 12-year tenure. The organisation now has more than four million members, and 67,000 volunteers – a figure just shy of the army of Olympic ‘Games Makers’.

Dame Fiona, winner of the Outstanding Leadership award at this year's Charity Awards, announced her departure from the National Trust in March and will take up her new post as Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, next year.

“I’m delighted by Helen’s appointment,” she said.

Dame Helen similarly said she was “delighted” with her appointment and in following in her predecessor's footsteps, taking up the new role in November. “I have been an admirer of the Trust and its work all my life, and I am thrilled that I have been given the chance to  be part of its future,” she said.

Continuing the theme of joy at the appointment, National Trust chairman Simon Jenkins said: “The board is delighted that Helen will be the Trust’s director-general. The trustees’ strategy is to widen the trust’s appeal and grow its membership.”

A spokesman for National Trust said that at the outset Dame Helen will be visiting as many National Trust sites as possible, but she will "be very much looking to continue the excellent work of Dame Fiona".