The CBI, the employers' organisation with members across Kent and Medway, has appointed an insider as its new director-general.

John Cridland, who spoke at a conference organized by Brachers, the Maidstone law firm, has been deputy DG for 10 years under a succession of bosses, including Adair Turner, Digby Jones and the outgoing DG Richard Lambert, takes over at the end of January.

Mr Cridland, who joined the CBI as a policy adviser in 1982, was chosen from a long list of 45 candidates, including nine women.

Malcolm Hyde, south east regional director based in Sevenoaks, said he was the right man for the job. "I couldn't think of a better person. He's very thoughtful, with a quiet manner, but he’s a very nice bloke. He has a really good sense of humour and above all he has a huge amount of respect in business circles."

Mr Hyde said several members with Kent operations had been in touch to compliment the CBI on the choice. “His range of knowledge is huge. He will hit the ground running which is what we need. He will have his feet under the desk from day one. He will be a good successor to Richard Lambert."

Mr Cridland, 49, said it was a critical time for business. "There are many challenges ahead in getting the economy growing and no one thinks that securing the UK's economic future will be easy. But business people across the country are rolling up their sleeves and getting on with the job."

He added: "I strongly believe that a combination of innovation, dynamism and plain hard graft will help re-build the UK's international reputation and will ensure that the UK is the best place to invest."

He lives with his wife Denise in Bedfordshire and has two teenage children. He was awarded a CBE for services to business in 2006. Lord Digby Jones said: "John's knowledge, experience, popularity, contacts and prodigious hard work and application to the task will make an enormous contribution to the country in the hard years ahead. He was an excellent deputy director-general to me and then to Richard Lambert. I wish him all the very best."