The chief executive of the financial education charity Money Ready is to take up the top job at TaxAid.
Leon Ward will leave Money Ready in October after three and a half years to join TaxAid, which provides free tax advice to people on low incomes.
Money Ready said Ward had led the organisation through a period of significant transformation, including changing its name from MyBnk in June last year.
“During his tenure, Money Ready strengthened its financial position, modernised systems and processes and substantially raised its external profile,” the charity said.
It also last year completed a merger with RedStart Educate, said Money Ready.
Ward will succeed Valerie Boggs at TaxAid, who stepped down in May after six and a half years as chief executive and a further three and half years as director of advice.
Boggs left the charity to “take on new opportunities”, TaxAid said in a statement.
Before joining Money Ready, Ward spent two years as programme innovations director at the social mobility charity Future First.
Ward has held numerous board positions with charities including chair of the education charity LMKLetMeKnow, deputy chair chair of the sexual health charity Brook and a trustee of Plan International.
Kevin Nicholson, chair of TaxAid, said Ward would bring “a strong track record of leading and growing organisations driven by their purpose, developing services that meet the needs of beneficiaries, and securing the resources and partnerships needed to increase impact”.
He said: “Trustees were struck by his ability to develop a clear vision, lead organisational change and maintain a strong focus on the needs of beneficiaries, which he has demonstrated as both an executive and trustee across a number of charities.”
Ward said: “Leaving Money Ready is not easy. I am enormously proud of what this organisation has achieved over the last three and half years – the rebrand, the merger, the relationships we have built and, above all, the difference we continue to make to young people and adults across the UK.
“I look forward to continuing to champion financial inclusion and literacy in my new role at TaxAid.”