Yorkshire Housing has appointed Leann Hearne as its new Chair, succeeding Ingrid Fife after five years in the role.
Leann brings extensive leadership experience from across the housing sector, having previously served as Chief Executive of Livv Housing Group. She is also a Board Member of the Northern Housing Consortium.
She takes on the role as Yorkshire Housing continues to invest in existing homes, improve services for customers and deliver thousands of new affordable, energy-efficient homes across the region, supported by plans to invest nearly £1bn across Yorkshire over the next decade.
Nick Atkin, CEO of Yorkshire Housing, said: “I’d like to thank Ingrid for the enormous contribution she has made to Yorkshire Housing over the past five years.
“We’ve achieved a huge amount together during that time, from improving outcomes for customers to achieving our strongest-ever regulatory ratings, and Ingrid has been a key part of our success. She’s been so good we’ve even considered giving her honorary Yorkshire status – and there’s no higher accolade than that!
“I’m equally delighted to welcome Leann as our new Chair. She knows Yorkshire Housing incredibly well, shares our ambition for our customers and communities, and will bring a wide range of valuable experience as we look to the future.”
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Speaking about her new role, Leann added: “Yorkshire Housing holds a special place for me. After five years on the Board and three years leading the Homes and Places Committee, I’ve seen first-hand the difference this organisation makes to people’s lives, and how its aspiration drives it to be even better.
“Becoming Chair is a real honour, and I’m genuinely excited about what we can achieve together for our customers.”
Leann succeeds Ingrid Fife, who has led Yorkshire Housing through a period of significant change and transformation.
During Ingrid’s five years as Chair, Yorkshire Housing strengthened its customer experience and governance, secured funding to build thousands of new homes and delivered its business strategy.
Ingrid said: “I have been so lucky to have worked alongside an exceptionally talented team of executives and Board members at Yorkshire Housing. We have been ambitious in transforming the way we deliver our customer services and in working with local partners to continue delivering more new homes.
“I have been pleased to see our customer experience improving year on year and especially proud that, following inspection, we achieved a C1 grading this year, alongside affirmation of our strong governance and financial viability through our G1 and V2 ratings.
“Yorkshire Housing is a special place to work and its ambitious culture will continue to deliver for Yorkshire.”
The appointment comes as Yorkshire Housing further strengthens its Board, welcoming two new Board members and, for the first time, a Board Trainee.
David Manser brings extensive experience from a career leading customer-focused retail businesses across Europe, including IKEA, and serves on the Board of Gloucester City Homes.
David Done brings more than 40 years’ experience in housing, including 23 years as Chief Executive of Richmond Housing Partnership, where he built a strong reputation for customer service and innovation.
Anees Iqbal has also joined as Yorkshire Housing’s first Board Trainee through the Housing Diversity Network Board Trainee Programme. The appointments bring a broad mix of housing, customer and commercial experience to Yorkshire Housing’s Board, while the introduction of its first Board Trainee forms part of the organisation’s commitment to developing more diverse future Board talent.
