Dame Jacqueline Doherty has been appointed acting chief executive at West Midddlesex Hospital days after Tara Donnelly quit over the winter beds crisis.
She will take up the reins on February 23, after leaving her post as deputy chief executive at King's College Hospital.
Dame Jacqueline has been at King's College since 1996 and her previous jobs include theatre sister at the Royal Free Hospital and senior nurse for acute services at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
West Mid chairman Sue Ellen said: "I am very pleased to announce Jacqueline's appointment. The wealth of experience she brings with her will be invaluable to us."
Ms Donnelly stepped down earlier this week after a government task force was called in to investigate how eight patients were left waiting for beds for more than 12 hours.
The patients were left in A&E because no space in the main hospital could be found as the West Mid buckled under the weight of demand on January 19.
