Tuesday, March 19, 2024
BusinessScottish housing group unveils new executive team

Scottish housing group unveils new executive team

A SCOTS housing group has revealed their latest appointments to the executive team.

Wheatley has unveiled the new-look executive team, featuring a collection of new appointments and roles.

Hazel Young has been appointed group director of housing and property management, while Laura Pluck takes up the new position of group director of communities.

They join Frank McCafferty, who became group director of assets and repairs recently, having been head of property services at South Lanarkshire Council.

Laura Pluck Wheatley
Laura Pluck is pictured during an Executive Team headshot session in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Alan Harvey/SNS Group)

Earlier this month, Wheatley announced Steven Henderson would become its chief executive later this year, succeeding Martin Armstrong, who announced last year he would be stepping down after 11 years.

Two long-serving members of the executive team have taken the opportunity as Martin prepares to step down, to seek new career opportunities.

Olga Clayton, who served as group director of housing and care for nine years, was formerly head of housing and care at North Ayrshire Council.

Tom Barclay joined Wheatley in 2016 as group director of property and development, having been chief executive of Clyde Valley Group in Lanarkshire.

Martin said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Olga and Tom for their immense contribution over several years and to wish them well going forward.”

Hazel, who has worked in housing for more than 20 years in England and Scotland, was formerly managing director of two of Wheatley’s social housing subsidiaries, Dunedin Canmore and West Lothian Housing Partnership.

Hazel Young
Hazel Young is pictured during an Executive Team headshot session in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Alan Harvey/SNS Group)

She has held several senior management roles since joining the former GHA (now Wheatley Homes Glasgow) in 2008.

She will have strategic responsibility for Wheatley’s five registered social landlords, as well as its commercial subsidiary Lowther Homes, Scotland’s largest private rent company overseeing housing and environmental services, as well as community engagement.

Laura became managing director of Wheatley care, formed in 2019 by the merger of two of the group’s other subsidiaries, Loretto Care and Barony.

She will be responsible for the group’s customer-first centre, Wheatley 360 (which provides a range of support services) and Wheatley care.

Wheatley announced several other senior appointments this week.

Laura Henderson takes over as managing director of Dunedin Canmore, West Lothian Housing Partnership and Loretto Housing and is responsible for housing advice, homelessness, customer support and universal credit.

Martin added: “All progressive, forward-looking organisations embrace change as part of their DNA.

“I have no doubt this new-look Executive Team, led by Steven and supported by several new appointments to the Leadership Group, will drive Wheatley forward.

“Wheatley is a large organisation deeply rooted in its communities and leaders across the Group are totally committed to listening to the people we support and ensuring their voice influences, shapes and, ultimately, determines our services and plans for the future.”

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