Wheatley Housing Group Limited — Scotland’s biggest social landlord — has announced that Alastair MacNish will retire as group chair at its AGM in September.

The news was contained in a stock exchange statement by Wheatley Group Capital plc.

MacNish has been chair since 2015.

“It has been an absolute privilege to lead an organisation that is such a force of good in Scotland,” said MacNish.

After qualifying as a chartered accountant, MacNish held several senior positions in local government, including Depute Director of Social Work at the former Strathclyde Regional Council and five years as the first Chief Executive of South Lanarkshire Council, then Scotland’s fourth-largest local authority.

A former chair of the Accounts Commission and Audit Scotland, he has advised Scottish Government in several capacities, ranging from chairing the Advisory Panel on Local Government Leadership to providing expert evidence to the Local Government and Communities Committee on budget setting.

“There are so many things of which I am proud,” added MacNish.

“Today, we stand for so many things: from an award-winning ThinkYes 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.”

Wheatley Group chief executive Martin Armstrong 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.”

A sub-committee of Wheatley board directors – under Vice-Chair Sheila Gunn – has begun the process of identifying and selecting MacNish’s successor.