Troubled Shaftesbury Housing Group has appointed a new chief executive in its efforts to be freed from Housing Corporation supervision.

Ian McDermott, currently chief executive of Stonebridge Housing Action Trust and interim chief executive of Riverhaven, will replace acting group chief executive James Tickell.

Shaftesbury was placed under supervision in March last year after a damning Audit Commission report and a “negative outlook” from ratings agency Standard & Poor’s in September 2003 (HT 3 September 2003, page 11).

McDermott said: “I aim to build on the work carried out by [Tickell] in getting it back on track. I have a history of solving complex issues and Shaftesbury clearly thought this relevant.

“I like a challenge and will focus on getting out of supervision.”

Source

Housing Today