Simon Blake, currently chief executive of Brook, will join the National Union of Students in the same role on 5 May.

Blake has been at young people’s sexual health charity, Brook, for almost four years and before that led Brook Central, which merged with the Brook Network to form the Brook in 2011. He has previously worked for the National Children’s Bureau and Sex Education Forum.

He was awarded an OBE in 2011 for services to the voluntary sector and children. He is also chair of Compact Voice and Diversity Role Models.  

Blake said: “I am delighted and excited to be appointed. NUS has a very important role to play in supporting students’ unions and, through them, helping the everyday lives of students. I look forward to starting in this fascinating job and building on NUS’ considerable track record.”

Toni Pearce, president of NUS said: “Simon has outstanding experience of leading complex organisations in all manner of sectors, and I am confident that he will exert the right leadership and vision so the organisation can meet its future strategic challenges and help us to improve the lives of students.”

NUS has been without a chief executive since Ben Kernighan quit in May last year, after just ten months in the role. Peter Robertson, managing director of NUS Services, the commercial arm of the organisation, has been leading the organisation during the recruitment process.

When Kernighan was appointed one of the charity's trustees wrote a blog criticising the decision to pay him £100,000, which was a 16 per cent increase on the previous chief executive's pay. 

The NUS refused to say whether Blake would be paid the same salary as Kernighan.