Appointments round-up: August 2021

Settle

 

Hertfordshire-based Settle has appointed a former One Housing and Genesis executive to a key finance role. Ebele Akojie, who is a former chief financial officer of One Housing, is taking the post of executive director of finance and resources. She is replacing Richard Blakey, who is leaving the 9,600-home group after three years.

 

Ms Akojie has around 20 years of sector experience. Before One Housing, she spent nearly four years at Genesis Housing Association, then nine months at the newly formed Notting Hill Genesis in senior finance roles.

 

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L&Q

 

L&Q has announced an overhaul of its development and sales division. The 105,000-home landlord has reorganised the division into four departments, instead of a dual-regional basis as it was previously.

 

The new departments will be known as development growth, development delivery, strategic sales and strategic services, and will be led by current executives Jacqueline Esimaje-Heath, Neil Davis, John Lumley and Jan Mackey.

 

It comes after the group said earlier this year it was relaxing its 10-year target for new homes.

 

Wrekin Housing Group

 

Wrekin Housing Group has named its first head of financial planning and treasury. Richard Nowell has joined the West Midlands-based group in the newly created role. He has joined from WHG, where he spent eight-and-a-half years, latterly as group treasury manager.

 

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First Choice Homes Oldham

 

First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO) has appointed a new chief finance officer as it embarks on a growth strategy.

 

Tracy Woods, who in her most recent role was interim director of business services at Manchester-based Northwards Housing, has taken the post at the 11,400-home group. Her other previous roles include director of finance and corporate services at The Calico Group.

 

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Longhurst Group

 

Longhurst Group, the large Midlands association, has appointed a new chair.

 

Jenny Brown, who has served on the group’s board since July 2019, will step up to replace Bob Wilson when he steps down early next year at the end of his nine-year term. Ms Brown previously spent 20 years at accountancy firm Grant Thornton and has worked with the Regulator of Social Housing as part of its enforcement team.

 

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Great Places

 

Great Places has appointed three new members to its board.

 

The 24,000-home group has announced that Nahim Ruhi-Khan, Patrick Ricketts and Sandra Palmer will replace three long-standing board members and committee chairs.

 

Ms Ruhi-Khan, who has experience working in the public sector and social housing, will serve as a member of the audit and assurance committee alongside Mr Ricketts, a former regional director at Berendsen, the textile maintenance services provider.

 

Ms Palmer, who has experience as a director in both the private and government-funded sectors, will join the remuneration and appraisal committee. The appointments are effective from 16 September.

 

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Two Rivers Housing

 

Gloucestershire-based Two Rivers Housing has appointed a new corporate director to join its executive team.

 

Suzanne Hemingway is a former strategic director at Cambridge City Council and will help with the provider’s efforts to be carbon zero by 2050.