Sweetenham, who was also formerly,Australia's national youth coach, is due to begin his new role on February 8. 

His appointment follows the resignation of coaches Mark Regan and Scott Talbot.

Sweetenham, a three-time winner of the Australian Coach of the Year award, had conducted an internal review of Swimming New Zealand in 2008,

"We are absolutely delighted that Bill has taken up the role with us," said Mark O'Connor, the acting chief executive of Swimming New Zealand.

"It is an important time for our swimmers preparing for the upcoming New Zealand Open Championships which double as the trials for the World Championships.

"It is important to have a coach who understands the swimmers, the country and what is ahead of them.

"Bill is one of the most credentialed swimming coaches in the history of the sport and we are pleased he is stepping in to help us out."

Sweetenham was Britain's national performance director between 2000 and 2007 and helped bring success to the sport despite recurring controversy about his man-management methods.

But his reign ended in controversy when he resigned less than a year before the start of the Olympics in Beijing.

Sweetenham is also a former director of coaching for Queensland, head swimming coach at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra and head swimming coach at the Hong Kong Sports Institute.

He will fill the role at Swimming New Zealand while they conduct a worldwide search for a new permanent head coach.

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