Michael Coogan said:
"It has been a privilege to serve an industry that has helped different generations of home-owners on to the housing ladder, provided financial support for different tenures delivering housing choice, and helped to instil freedom, security and a sense of community throughout the UK."
Read Michael Coogan's article: The highs, the lows - and why I'm stepping down where he reveals why, after 14 years as director general, he has decided to step down.