Osborne makes housing play with Wates director poach

Osborne has launched a new homes company and poached a director from rival Wates’ residential arm to lead it.

The £340m-turnover firm has hired Andy Doylend, formerly partnership housing director at Wates, to lead the new business, which will report into its Osborne Communities division.

Before joining Wates, Doylend was executive director of operations at housing association Circle Housing.

In January the boss of £340m-turnover contractor Osborne, chief executive Andy Steele, said the firm is targeting more repair and maintenance work as it seeks to offset a slowdown in the “volatile” offices market.

Nick Sterling, managing director of Osborne Communities said: “As part of our strategy to fully align our Affordable and Social housing activities in a unified and coherent approach through Osborne Communities, I am looking forward to Andy joining us to lead the Homes company as part of a range of different housing solutions for our customers.”

Doylend said: “I am excited to be joining such a highly respected organisation in Osborne and I am looking forward to helping to develop this unique approach that genuinely puts customers at the heart of what we do.”