The UK Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has announced that its director general Melanie Leech will be leaving in the new year after more than nine years to head up the British Property Federation.

Leech, who has held the post since August 2005, says, “I have been privileged to lead FDF for the last nine years and am incredibly proud of what we have achieved in that time. With the support of five great presidents and many individuals from member companies, plus a dedicated, expert and hard-working executive team, we have made a real difference for food and drink manufacturing and driven the agenda through initiatives such as our Five-fold Environmental Ambition, 2020 Growth Vision and Ingredients for Success. The time is now right for me to move on to a new challenge and I am excited about the opportunity to represent another major economic powerhouse sector for the UK economy.”

Richard Evans, FDF president, adds, “Melanie has made a significant contribution to furthering the industry’s interests during her time at FDF. She has been responsible for a number of key campaigns and worked tirelessly to make sure members are well represented in the key debates affecting our sector. She is highly regarded both by members and our stakeholders and has been a huge support to me and my predecessors in the role of president. We wish her well for her new role.”

The FDF has now commenced the search for a new director general.