Soda chief executive Cheryl Reynolds is to lead the Momentum Foundation and drive its fund-raising efforts.
Ms Reynolds will start her new role as chief executive next month.
New Zealand's newest community foundation was established in June, with an initial grant from WEL Energy Trust, and aims to build a $300 million fund to be allocated in the Waikato region. Funds will be used to support major regional projects with inter-generational benefit.
Ms Reynolds leads the seven-strong team at Soda, an entrepreneurship hub founded by Wintec and Hamilton City Council.
Soda is based in Hamilton and supports about 60 business start-ups annually by linking them with investors, funders and corporate partners.
Ms Reynolds was the founding chief executive at Soda and has led the organisation's establishment and start-up for the past decade.
Earlier, she was the creative industries director at Wintec and managing director at Antenna International in London.
Trustee chairman Ken Williamson said the Momentum board was thrilled to have secured an outstanding candidate at a critical time.
The foundation's immediate focus was on building a capital fund, he said. It aimed to build up $300 million over 30 years with investment returns from the capital used for large community grants.
"Cheryl will be an outstanding contributor. She is visionary and entrepreneurial and has been a proven leader in challenging roles. She knows our region very well and she's committed to the concept of having people reinvest back in their communities.
"Sharing that vision is important to the trustees," he said.