The federal government has appointed Kathleen Farrell as president of the Takeovers Panel.
Farrell has worked at law firm Freehills as a partner specialising in mergers and acquisitions.
She has also worked at the Law Council of Australia as chair of the business law section.
"Kathy is well acquainted with the panel, its members and procedures, having served as a member of the panel between 2001 and 2010," Superannuation, Financial Services and Corporate Law Minister Chris Bowen said.
Farrell will replace outgoing president Simon McKeon.
The aim of the Takeovers Panel it to provide a peer review assessment of takeover activity with the aim of being more efficient, less formal and less costly than court action.