The Bar Council has appointed Stephen Crowne as its new chief executive, filling the position which has been vacant for two years.

Crowne, who will take up the post on 3 June, has been the senior director of global education at networking equipment company Cisco for the last two years. Prior to this he was chief executive of the British Educational Technology & Communications Agency (BECTA) – the government agency for promoting technology in learning – for five years.

He has also held roles as a senior civil servant in the UK Department for Education and became the first chief executive of the Further Education Development Agency.

Crowne's role will be to facilitate the Council's various policy-making committees and support the Bar in the development of its strategy and the fulfilment of its approved regulator role. He will also ensure the organisation remains financially robust and cost effective.

Previous Bar Council chief executive David Hobart, stepped down in May 2011 to become the first-ever chief executive at the City of London Law Society. He had been chief executive of the Bar Council since 2004, leading its policy development and management.

Maura McGowan QC, chairman of the Bar, said: "Stephen joins the Bar Council at a time of great change for the profession. His experience in the Civil Service at senior levels and more recently in business will help us as an organisation to address the challenges of the diverse and complex environment in which the profession's governing body operates and enable us meet the needs of the profession and its clients more effectively."

Crowne said: "I look forward to supporting the officers and members of Bar Council, and to leading and shaping a highly professional organisation. I want to help secure the continuing integrity, excellence and success of the Bar, ensuring access to justice for all."

The appointment panel included representatives from the Council and Bar Standards Board.