Wheatley Housing names Jo Armstrong new chair

Jo Armstrong

Wheatley Housing Group Limited — Scotland’s biggest social landlord — has announced Jo Armstrong as its new chair.

Armstrong will succeed Alastair MacNish when he retires at the group’s Annual General Meeting in September.

Armstrong, one of Scotland’s leading independent business economists, joined the Wheatley board in 2015 and is chair of the group development committee.

“I am delighted to be the next chair of such an impressive and successful organisation and look forward to working with my Wheatley colleagues and key strategic partners in implementing our renewed and ambitious five-year strategy, ‘Your Home, Your Community, Your Future’,” said Armstrong.

“We have supported tens of thousands of households in hardship across central and southern Scotland during the pandemic and we are determined to contribute creatively to the country’s recovery.

“This will involve continuing to build, maintain and invest in great affordable homes and – working with Wheatley Care and Wheatley Foundation – to improve the life opportunities of people living in our communities, wherever and whenever we can.”

MacNish said: “Jo is a fantastic appointment and was the unanimous choice of the board.

“I have no doubt Wheatley will continue to set the bar for building award-winning homes and delivering outstanding customer service under her leadership.”

Armstrong’s career spans financial services, the Scottish civil service and charitable sector.

A panel member of the Competition and Markets Authority, she is a member of the Water Industry Commission for Scotland, chair of hub West Scotland and a member of the IoD Scotland’s Advisory Board.

Previously, she chaired OFGEM’s expert panel for its Electricity Network Innovation Fund and was a budget advisor to two Scottish parliamentary committees.

MacNish added: 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 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.”