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Clarion strengthens board amid ‘challenging conditions’
Clarion Housing Group has added a council chief and a marketing expert to its board as its chair has admitted it is facing “challenging conditions”.
The group, which includes the country’s largest housing association Clarion, has appointed Graham Farrant, chief executive of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council; and Amanda Metcalfe, head of place, brand and marketing at the Crown Estate, as non-executive directors.
They will make up an 11-strong board, which has seen a number of changes in the past 12 months. A year ago, David Orr, former boss of the National Housing Federation, joined Clarion’s board and was subsequently handed the role of chair of the group’s housing association arm.
David Avery, who was previously chair of the housing association, stepped up to group board chair in June.
New addition Mr Farrant was previously chief executive and chief land registrar at HM Land Registry. He has also headed up Thurrock Council and spent two separate stints as chief executive of Barking & Dagenham Council.
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Ms Metcalfe’s former roles include nearly two years at retailer Morrisons as digital market director and a spell as marketing director at eBay.
Mr Avery said each of them brought “distinct experience”.
But he added: “There is no doubt we are operating in an uncertain time and face some challenging conditions.”
Last month, the group reported a 10% drop in half-year surplus, which it blamed on an “increased focus on customer services along with careful management of our development sales programme”.
In July, housing association Clarion reported a third consecutive slide in annual surplus, while it missed its housebuilding target as it pointed to a “cautious” approach to the volatile market.
In September, Latimer Developments, the market sale development arm of Clarion, revealed a £6.9m annual loss.
Other G15 landlords have faced similarly tough conditions. This week, Optivo posted a 26% fall in its half-year surplus and warned on its full-year performance.
Earlier this month, L&Q reported a 27% slide in half-year post-tax surplus as Waqar Ahmed, chief financial officer, branded it the “one of the most challenging environments in recent history”.
