Lord Justice Goldring has been appointed coroner to the new inquest into the deaths of the 96 victims of the Hillsborough disaster.
A fresh inquest into the deaths of the Liverpool supporters at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough stadium on 15 April 1989 was ordered after the original verdicts were quashed by the High Court in December.
Lord Justice Goldring was appointed coroner on Wednesday
Lord Justice Goldring has been appointed as assistant deputy coroner for the inquiry and will decide in due course where the inquests will be held, the Judiciary said.
He plans to hold the inquests "as soon as possible".
Lord Justice Goldring was the senior presiding judge of England and Wales from January 2010 to December 2012 and sat on the trial of 10-year-old Damilola Taylor's killers.
His appointment comes after ministers changed the law so coroners are no longer required to hold inquests within their own districts.
Lord Justice Goldring now has the power to hold the inquest anywhere in England and Wales, if it is in the best interest of the bereaved family and others, such as witnesses.
Liverpool supporters were exonerated of any blame after 23 years
Hillsborough victims' relatives have spoken out against the fresh inquest being held in Sheffield - home of the disaster and the original overturned inquiry.
The fresh inquest into the disaster was ordered when a panel of three High Court judges, headed by the Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge, quashed the accidental death verdicts.
Liverpool fans were exonerated of any blame for the 1989 tragedy during their FA Cup semi-final with Nottingham Forest when a damning report laying bare a cover-up was published in September last year.
A new police investigation, as well as an inquiry by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) are also being conducted.