Dogs Trust chief executive, Clarissa Baldwin OBE, will retire later this year after 40 years at the charity.
She will be succeeded by deputy chief executive and marketing director Adrian Burder, who has been with the charity for 20 years.
Baldwin joined Dogs Trust in 1974 as head of public relations and was promoted to the top job in 1986. She developed and launched the now iconic ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ slogan, which is now 35 years old and remains a key part of the charity’s marketing message.
She said: “It is with a very heavy heart that I have decided to pass on 'the lead', but I know everyone at the charity and our dog loving supporters will continue to work tirelessly for improvements in life for our four legged friends.
"I joined Dogs Trust in 1974 as head of public relations for a six month contract and ending up staying for 40 years! It has been such a very great privilege to have held this role for such a long time and to have been entrusted with the charity’s growth and development.”
Under her leadership the Dogs Trust has opened 18 new re-homing centres – the 19th is set to open in Essex later this year. It is also now active in ten countries and works alongside government and local communities on a range of animal welfare issues.
She received an OBE in 2003 for services to dog welfare.
Burder, who is to be the Dogs Trust new chief executive, joined in 1994 as marketing director and has been involved in increasing the charity’s annual income from just over £3m to £75m in that 20-year period.
Dogs Trust plans to step up its campaigning work in 2014 and has appointed David Crowdrey, head of communications at RSPCA, to the new role of campaigns director. Crowdrey will join in April.
