Harlequins director of rugby Conor O'Shea has reached agreement to become the new coach of Italy from June on a four-year deal.
O'Shea, 45, will take over from Frenchman Jacques Brunel, who is returning to his homeland to become forwards coach at Bordeaux-Begles.
The move had been expected - Irishman O'Shea, who led Quins to the Aviva Premiership title in 2012, had been strongly linked with the job for some time and had already confirmed that he would be leaving The Stoop at the end of the season.
Mike Catt, a 2003 World Cup winner with England, will be O'Shea's attack and skills coach.
Catt returns to rugby after leaving his post as an England assistant coach in December following the host nation's spectacular 2015 World Cup flop when they failed to progress beyond the pool stage.
Alfredo Gavazzi, president of the Italian Rugby Union, said: "O'Shea is a young technician with a track record of success in the field with strong managerial skills."
O'Shea said: "As I said when I announced that I would be leaving, I feel the end of this season is the right time for me to take on a new challenge and I am honoured, humbled and excited that I will be working with everyone in Italian Rugby to ensure they can achieve on the undoubted potential they have as a rugby nation.
"I spent many years in the 1990's playing against a great Italian side and I know there is the ability and will within this current group of players and the FIR to ensure that the current team can become the best Italian team in its history, but that is for another time.
"For me now there is a job to finish here at Harlequins and to ensure we finish this season as well as we can and see if we can add some more silverware to the Trophy Cabinet at this great club. I will say my goodbyes then and not before."
His first task will be to help oversee Italy's summer tour to Argentina, the United States and Canada.
The Azzurri this season finished bottom of the Six Nations table for an 11th time in 17 seasons. They conceded 224 points and 29 tries in five games, while their final two fixtures against Ireland and Wales saw them beaten 58-15 and 67-14, respectively.