Bernard Hughes is to step down as director of external affairs of the Jewish Leadership Council.

He will leave the post on September 30.

In a statement, the JLC said Mr Hughes, a former head of public affairs at Tesco, had completed the launch of the organisation's external affairs division ahead of schedule and would be leaving to pursue other interests. 

Mr Hughes said “It has been a huge honour to have worked with the JLC during some very challenging times for the community.  I have worked with an incredibly talented group of people. The JLC brings people together and does that in a very thoughtful and professional way. I will always be a friend to the community and to Israel”.

Simon Johnson, JLC chief executive, said “Bernard has recruited and led a first-class team, who have transformed the community’s stakeholder engagement around the country and have instituted campaigns and overseen the growth of our digital and stakeholder strategy.

"He has been a great colleague and partner, whose passion and enthusiasm has shone through. He has much to be proud of. We wish him well.”

Lord Finkelstein, a vice-president of the JLC, said: "We will miss Bernard as he's got a very good strategic brain. He is always thinking one or two steps ahead on politics. It's been very helpful to have some new creative thinking given the serious political challenges the community now faces."

Before joining the JLC in 2015 Mr Hughes held a series of senior management positions. He was Tesco's first head of public affairs and also head of public affairs for Walmart in Europe.

He was a director of Edelman, the global marketing company, and director of communications for the Green Deal Finance Company.

He has an early background in student politics and was a Friend of the Union of Jewish Students back in the 1980s.