Thirteen, the North East’s largest housing company, has made two new senior appointments to strengthen its executive team.
David Ripley has been appointed as Thirteen’s new executive director of customer services. David joined the company in 2017 as director of business development and most recently, worked as director of repairs and maintenance.
He has a breadth of housing and customer experience and in his time at Thirteen, has prioritised the improvement of customer services. In his role, he is responsible for many of the company’s core, customer-centred services, such as home repairs, neighbourhoods, customer experience and support services.
Thirteen has also appointed a new chief financial officer. Jane Castor will take up the role from October 2020. Jane has worked for Homes England, and its predecessor, the Homes and Communities Agency, for the past 16 years. She brings a wealth of experience in finance and governance, having served, most recently, as Homes England’s finance director.
This will also see Heather Ashton, who has been with Thirteen for nine years as executive director of resources, move into a new role as executive director of business change and improvement, when Jane joins in October.
Chief executive Ian Wardle said: “At Thirteen, we continually strive to provide our customers with better and better services, putting them at the heart of everything we do.
“We’re delighted to announce David’s promotion to executive director of customer services, a role in which I’m sure he will flourish. David’s knowledge of Thirteen and previous experiences make him the ideal candidate to lead on our commitment to provide the highest level of customer service.
“We’re thrilled too, to welcome Jane on board, who, with her vast knowledge and experience gained from many years working in the sector. She will be a real asset to our top team, supporting our future plans.”