A new leader has taken the helm at the Thirteen Group following the retirement of former Chief Executive Alison Thain, who has celebrated more than 40 years of success in the housing sector.
Ian Wardle joins Thirteen as its new Chief Executive from Reading Borough Council, where he has been Managing Director since 2013.
Ian is well remembered in the North East, starting his career as a graduate trainee at George Wimpey in Middlesbrough and moving onto the Sunniside Partnership in Sunderland and Director of Regeneration at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council before his move south.
In his new role he will oversee the implementation of board decisions, progress towards meeting corporate objectives and ensuring the business continues to move in the right direction.
The 42-year-old will utilise his extensive knowledge and expertise in his new role at Thirteen, which owns and manages 33,000 homes across an area spanning North Tyneside to York; predominantly in the Tees Valley.
He said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for me to build on the already exceptional services delivered by Thirteen and its excellent reputation.
“I am looking forward to the challenges and rewards ahead and guiding the organisation through the next phase of its development. “
George Garlick, Chair of the Thirteen Board, said: “Ian is a proven leader with a fantastic track record.
He is undoubtedly the person to steer Thirteen as it adapts and evolves to reflect the changing social housing sector.
“It is an exciting time in our development and I am very much looking forward to working with Ian, who I know will take the organisation and its dedicated staff from strength to strength.”