Neil Heslop

Neil has a distinguished career in both business and the charitable sector and joined CAF in October 2020, from the international pan-disability charity Leonard Cheshire, where he has served as Chief Executive since 2016.

Neil 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, Neil 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.

Neil is a co-founder of the charity Blind In Business, serving as a Trustee since 1992 and acting as an advisor to the UK government on the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act. He became CEO of Leonard Cheshire Disability in 2016. Neil was previously Co-Chair of the Disability Charities Consortium, a group of the eight largest disability charities dedicated to promoting the rights and interests of 13 million disabled people in the UK.

In 2002 he was awarded the OBE for services to British Telecommunications and charity.