Optivo and Southern unveil proposed executive team as merger on track

Richard White, currently Optivo’s executive director of development and sales, will take the same job at the merged organisation. Yvette Carter, currently Southern Housing’s group director of property services, will become executive director of contract services at the new entity.

Jenny Poore, currently Southern’s group director people and communications, will take the role of executive director people and culture. 

On the board, as previously announced Sir Peter Dixon, currently Optivo’s chair, has been appointed designate chair of the new group. 

Janet Collier, a board member at Southern Housing Group, becomes vice-chair of the merged landlords. And Carol Rosati, who also sits on Southern’s board, will take the role of chair of the people committee. 

The groups confirmed today they still expect to complete the merger by the end of 2022, subject to “due diligence and successful negotiation”.

It is Southern’s second attempt at a merger in recent times after a proposed tie-up with Sanctuary was abandoned last year. 

The proposed union with Optivo comes amid a spate of merger activity in the sector as associations seek to combine forces to deal with the sector’s challenges.

In April, Peabody and Catalyst completed a tie-up to create a 104,000-home landlord. The same month, it emerged that BPHA, Futures Housing Group and Flagship Group are exploring a merger. 

G15 landlord Orbit entered merger talks with troubled Essex-based association Swan last December. And last year, Riverside completed a merger with G15 association One Housing, while GreenSquare and Accord combined to create a new 25,000-home landlord. 

Update: at 4.03pm, 01.07.2022

This story was updated to state that Janet Collier is a board member of Southern Housing Group. The article previously stated that Ms Collier was Southern’s chair.