Rantall succeeds Jo-Anne Bloch, who starts as Mercer's member services and advice leader this month.
Recently he resigned from his position as National Australia Bank Academy dean of advice and he was Godfrey Pembroke managing director from 2003 to 2008.
He joins roughly 12,000 FPA members at a time when Financial Services, Superannuation and Corporate Law Minister Chris Bowen is moving to ban commissions and expand ASIC's powers through the Future of Financial Advice reforms.
"Mark has joined the FPA at a crucial time for the profession," FPA chair Julie Berry said.
"We have just seen one of the largest industry shake-ups in recent years in the form of the Future of Financial Advice reforms, and we are pleased to have someone of his immense experience to assist the board, executive and members in leading the way."
Merger talks between the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) and FPA were continuing, albeit slowly, AFA chief executive Richard Klipin said in April.
"Obviously, the FPA is in the process of appointing a new CEO and I think certainly at an AFA board level we're committed to having the discussion," Klipin said.
Rantall will take over from acting chief executive (deputy chief executive) Deen Sanders, who was asked not to run for the position of FPA chief executive, from July.
