Newly inaugurated Boston Mayor Kevin H. White appointed Barney Frank '62, a Harvard graduate student in government, as his executive secretary yesterday.

As executive secretary Frank will handle all White's scheduling and supervise all the Mayor's business, while continuing to serve as executive secretary of White's "talent task force."

Frank's position was described last night by one Boston politician as "one of the most politically powerful posts inside the City Administration."

Samuel P. Huntington, Chairman of the Government Department and head of White's "talent task force," said last night, "Barney is a first rate fellow and a first rate aide."

Frank is now on a formal leave of absence from the Institute of Politics of the Kennedy School of Government where he was the often controversial director of undergraduate activities last year.

It was Frank who handled the details of Defense Secretary Robert S. Mcamara's visit to Harvard last year.

Frank at 27 hardly fits the image of the scholar that some Boston politicians have tried to attach to him lately. He has worked in Massachusetts politics since 1958 when he came from New Jersey as a freshman.

He was elected treasurer of the Harvard Young Democrats while serving as executive member of the National Executive Board of College Young Democrats. At the same time he was treasurer of the old Harvard Student Council and served on the board of the National Students Association (NSA).