CHOICE has announced the appointment of digital and product executive Sandra Davey as the new Chair of its Board.

Davey has been a non-executive director of CHOICE since 2012 and has helped to inform the group's current strategy which has led to new products such as the augmented reality app CluckAR and Do I Need Health Insurance?

Davey, who was excited by the announcement, describes CHOICE as a testament to "Australian civil society" and says the organisation is adapting well to a rapidly changing landscape.

"What started as an ambitious vision for a consumer advocacy organisation and magazine in 1959 has grown into a bold, digitally focused organisation," she says.

"The idea of a not-for-profit organisation that campaigns for consumer rights, as well as helps consumers find products and services that meet their needs, has proven to be extremely adaptive to change."

Davey is the managing director of Product Space, has managed the multi-million dollar operations of Telstra's cross-platform services, was the general manager of the first 4G service available to consumers in Australia, and worked as a general manager of a software company specialising in IPTV.

In addition to serving as a non-executive director of CHOICE since 2012, she has served as a director and chair of the Australian Interactive Media Industry Association, and was an inaugural director of the Australian Domain Name Authority (auDA).

Nicole Rich, who chaired the board for a four-year term, praised her successor, saying she has the expertise to help shape the not-for-profit's services going forward.

"The CHOICE New Things team, which produced the CluckAR free range egg app and is running experiments to help consumers in a range of markets, is in many ways a product of Sandra's contribution to our strategy," she says.

"With her strong tech and digital background and deep experience in product development, Sandra is ideally suited to lead the board through this next period in CHOICE's growth, as we invest in building our capabilities in online campaigning and digital product development."

Davey becomes the fourth consecutive woman to chair the board. She will assume the role when her predecessor steps down as a director in November.

"I acknowledge the enormous contribution of Nicole Rich, who leaves the board and organisation in a great position to take on the current challenges facing Australian consumers," says Davey.