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Wheatley chair to retire this year
The chair of Scotland’s largest housing association is stepping down after six years in the role.
Alastair MacNish will be retiring from chair of Wheatley Group in autumn 2021. Before his six-year stint as chair, he spent three years as a board member.
A qualified chartered accountant, Mr MacNish served in local government and held a number of senior positions, including deputy director of social work at the former Strathclyde Regional Council.
He then spent five years working as the first chief executive of South Lanarkshire Council, the fourth largest local authority in Scotland.
In addition to these positions. Mr MacNish has advised the Scottish government in several capacities, including as chair of the Accounts Commission and Audit Scotland.
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He received an OBE for services to local government in 2008.
A sub-committee of Wheatley board directors, led by vice-chair Sheila Gunn, has begun the process of identifying and selecting Mr MacNish’s successor and an announcement is expected in due course.
With more than 93,000 homes, Wheatley is by far Scotland’s largest social landlord.
Last year, Scotland’s second largest housing association, Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership, joined Wheatley and brought with it a stock of more than 10,000 homes.
Commenting on his retirement, Mr MacNish said: “There are so many things of which I am proud. None more so than the commitment and dedication of staff and board members who have helped Wheatley raise the bar for service excellence in the public sector in the UK and beyond.
“Today we stand for so many things: from an award-winning Think Yes culture recognised nationally and internationally to raising well over a billion pounds of private and public investment and being named – for the fourth consecutive year – the largest builder of social rented homes in the UK.”
Martin Armstrong, chief executive of Wheatley, said: “Alastair’s leadership has been nothing short of inspirational.
“He has made a massive contribution to Wheatley’s efforts to build and maintain sustainable, thriving communities and one that will leave an enduring legacy.
“Those leadership skills have been tested as never before during the pandemic and his sound guidance and wise counsel have been invaluable and very much appreciated."
