Rose boasts a strong commercial and financial background and over 20 years’ experience in both the public and private sectors, with a particular focus on infrastructure finance.

He is currently a partner at Ag Fe, a specialist European debt adviser and asset manager, and will take over as HCA chief executive in April.

Rose said: “It is clear that continued delivery in the sector depends on the ever closer integration of the public and private sectors, and with my experience of both I am extremely excited by the opportunity to lead the Agency into the future.”

Rose was previously chief executive of Treasury body Infrastructure UK where he was responsible for establishing the Infrastructure Finance Unit, created to lend directly to infrastructure projects.

Prior to that he was on the board of Partnerships UK PLC, a body owned by both the public and private sectors, with a remit to support the delivery of major infrastructure projects sponsored by the public sector.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: “I would like to congratulate Andy Rose on his appointment to the Homes and Communities Agency. He brings with him a wealth of commercial experience that will prove vital as we pull out all the stops to get Britain building.

“I look forward to working with him to deliver our £19.5bn Affordable Homes programme, and our continued investment in unlocking stalled sites and building the homes and infrastructure this country needs.”