North Yorkshire landlord appoints new chief executive

Ms Townson’s appointment follows an open and extensive selection process.

Broadacres said Ms Townson is “dedicated to the importance of social housing in sustaining rural communities” and champions the voice of customers.

Helen Simpson, chair of Broadacres, said: “The board and I are delighted to appoint Claire as our new CEO and are excited by the work we will be doing together. Her commitment to North Yorkshire, strong social values and commercial acumen will see Broadacres continue to flourish under her leadership.”

Ms Simpson added: “On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Lee Sugden for his good work with us and wish him the very best for the future.”

Ms Townson said: “I am thrilled and very proud to continue my career at Broadacres as the next CEO, working with our exceptional colleagues to ensure that we continue to deliver excellent customer services, focused on what matters most to our customers.  

“With a strong executive team and an involved customer network who influence all aspects of our work, I’m excited about what the next chapter will hold. Our existing strong ambitions of providing quality homes, an ever-improving customer experience and deepening our partnerships to tackle rural housing issues will be my immediate priorities.”