He has held senior positions in UCB Home Loans and The Mortgage Works as well as Nationwide’s group intermediary sales division.
Chidgey has spent the last few years driving Nationwide’s new build portfolio.
Ian Andrew, managing director for group intermediary sales at Nationwide, said: "James has made a tremendous contribution to Nationwide over the past 29 years. He is one of the best known individuals in the industry and is universally well liked and respected.
“He will be missed by everyone at Nationwide and leaves with our warmest best wishes for the future."
Chidgey added: "Working at Nationwide, with so many talented and industrious people, has been a great privilege for me over the past thirty years.
“The industry has seen great changes in that time and I have thoroughly enjoyed representing Nationwide in the intermediary arena.
“However, I feel that 2015 is the right time for me to see what opportunities lie outside.”
Nationwide has started the recruitment process to replace Chidgey.
