Neil Heslop will take over from Sir John Low later this year

A major fundraising body has appointed a new chief executive.

The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) are delighted has announced that Neil Heslop will take over in the role later this year.

Heslop, with a distinguished leadership career in both business and the charitable sector, joins CAF from the international pan-disability charity Leonard Cheshire, where he has served as chief executive since 2016.

He will succeed Sir John Low, who has announced his retirement after 13 years at CAF.

Heslop has held senior roles in the telecoms industry in North America and Europe, co-founded the charity Blind in Business and served as an advisor to the UK Government on the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act.

He said: “CAF is a civil society leader, both in the UK and internationally. Its purpose to grow giving in all forms brings together businesses and donors with charities and social enterprises with the shared determination to make the world a better place.

“Now more than ever charities are vital in our lives as we grapple with an unparalleled global health crisis. Supporting charities in all that they do is at the very heart of CAF and I am proud to be joining at such a crucial time.”

Heslop lost his sight aged 21 and is a law graduate from Newcastle University. He holds an MBA from Cranfield School of Management and a diploma from the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

In 25 years in business, he held senior leadership roles in the telecoms industry in North America and Europe. These include head of strategy and general manager of retail and online at O2, CEO of Cincinnati Bell Wireless and director of CTIA the Wireless Association.

Sir James Leigh-Pemberton, chair of trustees at CAF, said: “The trustees of CAF and I are delighted that Neil Heslop will be joining us to lead the organisation into a future which is full of opportunity despite the challenges which we all face at present. We welcome his global experience, knowledge of the charity sector, business skills, creativity and energy as we continue our work to motivate society to give ever more effectively in order to transform lives and communities around the world.

“We are immensely grateful to John Low for his leadership, dedication and service over the past 13 years as our chief executive. CAF’s growth in scale and influence over those years has been remarkable, and he retires from our organisation with our deepest appreciation for his exceptional accomplishments.”

Heslop will join CAF at the start of November.