UK Athletics have announced their long serving chief executive Niels de Vos will step down at the end of September ©Getty Images

Niels de Vos will leave his role as chief executive of UK Athletics (UKA) at the end of this month after almost 12 years in the role, it has been announced.

The 51-year-old is reportedly leaving to set up his own business having joined UKA in January 2007.

De Vos led the body to success at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games as well as the 2017 World Championships.

UKA's strategy and partnerships director Nigel Holl will take charge on an interim basis while the body launches a search for his successor.

UKA chairman Richard Bowker said the sport had “grown” and been “hugely successful” under De Vos' leadership.

Niels de Vos oversaw unprecedented British success at London 2012, including Jessica Ennis-Hill's victory in the heptathlon ©Getty Images
Niels de Vos oversaw unprecedented British success at London 2012, including Jessica Ennis-Hill's victory in the heptathlon ©Getty Images

"He has been a fantastic servant to not only UKA, but athletics as a whole,” Bowker said.

British track and field athletes won 13 medals, six of them gold, at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics under De Vos.

UKA also established the annual Anniversary Games in London and this year's inaugural Athletics World Cup during his tenure.

De Vos was criticised, however, after the Athletics World Cup was held at the same time as the finals of the FIFA World Cup and Wimbledon, which led to a smaller crowd at the event.

He also came under fire for the poor attendances at recent editions of the National Championships in Birmingham.

De Vos was also involved in Birmingham's successful bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.