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Nigel WilsonNigel is the Chief Executive Officer of Gentoo Group having joined in January 2019 from Wythenshawe Community Housing Group in M ...more
My plan as new chief executive of Gentoo
Nigel Wilson last week took the helm at Sunderland association Gentoo, which has had a troubled couple of years. Here, he explains how he intends to approach the role
When, after 12 years, you decide to begin a new role with a business far from home and all your existing networks, the odd thing is that you underestimate what it’s like to be the new boy!
While I’ve had the opportunity to learn about Gentoo over my five-month notice period, there is nothing quite like the first day on the job when all you have known is left behind and you move into the new office.
A wise colleague had warned me to expect a period of grief for the ending of a long-term relationship with my old business at Wythenshawe Community Housing, and to be prepared for that confused sensation of excitement and nervous tension as one begins a new role.
Of course, in my usual way of just wanting to crack on with stuff, I didn’t allow my head to have that space and found sleep a rare commodity over the Christmas period, as hundreds of thoughts and ideas span around in my every waking moment.
“We are an anchor business and employer in the community”
Gentoo, as most housing observers will be aware, has faced some significant challenges over the last couple of years; its trials and tribulations have featured in the pages of this magazine, as well as local and national TV programmes.
For the new chief executive, the board was clear it wanted to move forward positively and build on the recovery work lead by the chair, Keith Lorraine, and interim chief executive, David Jepson.
One of the amazing things that struck me when I did my own due diligence prior to going for the role is that Gentoo is central to the place of Sunderland.
With almost 30,000 homes in the city and 1,200 colleagues, we are an anchor business and employer in the community.
This is one of the key reasons I wanted an opportunity to join Gentoo, to help build further on this and see how we can work with other businesses and stakeholders locally to keep the city moving forward with its ambitious plans for growth and change.
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I’ve been asked what my priorities are now I’m in post. That’s simple: learn everything I can about the business from the colleagues inside it.
To that end, I’m spending an hour with every colleague over my first eight weeks to get to know them and so they can find out more about me and my hopes for the organisation.
I’ll be in listening mode and keen to hear what works and what changes folk might want to make. I’ll also be out on the road meeting colleagues from other stakeholders locally to learn from them.
Gentoo is well on track to increase its current G3 and V2 regulatory assessment. The business is a large and sound one, performing well and with dedicated, loyal staff.
I’ll be working closely with the regulator to provide the evidence of change they need, to ensure they are confident in our good governance and clear leadership, and that they have absolute clarity that our social purpose is to provide high-quality social housing and services for our community.
“Gentoo is well on track to increase its current G3 and V2 regulatory assessment”
As part of my homework over Christmas, I binged watched Sunderland ’Til I Die, a Netflix docuseries about Sunderland AFC’s attempts to climb back to the Premier League during the 2017-18 season.
It reflects the place and people of Sunderland, their heart, passion and undying belief that things can only get better. The second series is being filmed now and we all hope it’s a happy ending for the club and its city.
It’s hard not to mention Brexit and Sunderland in the same sentence. I can’t pretend to explain the events of the past nor the impact of whatever befalls the nation after March.
As with all other housing businesses, we plan for consequences, seek to mitigate what we can and imagine what the world might look like but in reality “who the hell knows”? The Nissan plant in Sunderland is responsible for 50,000 jobs, through direct employment and its supply chain, and I’m told if it sneezes Sunderland gets the flu. We hold our breath and hope.
Unlike Manchester where I have spent the past 12 years, Sunderland is not impacted by the significant challenges of rough sleeping and homelessness. However, poverty, debt and domestic abuse are common.
“I’ll be working with colleagues to ensure Gentoo remains current and rooted in the community”
As a landlord, we have a significant role to work with partners to help combat and tackle these issues and I am pleased that Gentoo has a proud record of leading locally on these matters.
We can never be complacent or rest on our past record. I’ll be working with colleagues to ensure Gentoo remains current and rooted in the community.
It’s beholden on us to show how we invest our resources for the benefit of the community we serve, protect our assets and, crucially, add to the supply of new, safe and comfortable homes that people can afford to live in.
This is only two days in so my thoughts will evolve but, at its heart, housing is a simple people business.
They are the reason we are here and as long as we keep our feet on the ground, listen to our tenants and work with them, build the resource in our communities and remember why we came into being in the first place, then we keep true to our social purpose.
Nigel Wilson, chief executive, Gentoo
Who is Nigel Wilson?
Mr Wilson took over as chief executive in the first week of January following a difficult few years for Sunderland-based association Gentoo.
He joins from Wythenshawe Community Housing Group in Manchester, where he served as chief executive. Mr Wilson is chair of JV North, a consortium of associations, and was a housing co-operative tenant and activist before working as a housing officer.
