Disability Power 100 alumnus Dr Amo Raju OBE DL, is to step down from his position of CEO of Derby-based Disability Direct, one of the UK’s most respected disability charities.
Dr Raju, who has been with the charity for 30 years, will step down in three months, but he has pledged to continue to support the charity taking up a new role as an ambassador.
“Disability Direct and Amo Raju developed in tandem. Our stories are so intertwined, and I owe all I have in my life to this symbiotic relationship which took a disabled person with low self-esteem to the heights of success and confidence I enjoy today,” he says.
“Today, the charity’s balance sheet is strong and there are opportunities ahead. It is however, time for fresh leadership with ideas to take the organisation forward. I’m sure that not being in the driving seat will feel strange at first but the new role of ambassador will keep me connected to a charity which will always be at the centre of my heart.”
Trailblazer
Dr Raju, a disabled person himself, has been a trailblazer in disability services and is believed to be the longest-serving CEO of a disability charity in the UK.
His achievements include raising £30 million to support various initiatives and ensure that many vulnerable individuals have a voice and access to essential services.
As well as his award-winning work at Disability Direct, Dr Raju is also an accomplished author. His book “Walk Like A Man: From Limited to Limitless” chronicles his incredible journey and has inspired countless readers.
In addition to being named in the Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 twice, Dr Raju has been recognised with numerous awards, including the National Diversity Awards’ ‘Lifetime Achiever’ award and the Scope Disability Equality Awards’ ‘Positive Role Model’ award.
Dr Raju was a 2023 Disability Power 100 finalist in the Business & Finance category and in the Education, Public and Third Sector category in 2021.