Keith Hickey is to leave his role as chief executive of the CFDG to become group director of resources at the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB).

He will depart in October having led the umbrella body since 2006, during which time membership increased by 35 per cent.

Melvin Coleman, CFDG deputy chair, said the organisation was sorry to lose him. “Under his leadership CFDG has been steered into its current strong position where it is ready to take on the challenges of the future.”

CFDG head of policy Angela Haines said Hickey had been headhunted for the role, adding: “Keith managed to build on the strength of the organisation and achieved a lot of his objectives but at heart he is an FD and his new position will be as an FD.”