The chief executive of Places for People, David Cowans, has announced his departure after 24 years at the helm.
Cowans will spend the next year supporting the transition before his retirement on 31 March 2022 at the age of 64.
Over more than two decades he has grown the housing association to more than 200,000 homes, making it one of the largest developers of affordable housing on top of large regenerations and BTR backing.
Places for People has also been a major proponent of off-site manufacturing and in 2019 completed the largest modular deal in the UK with the £100m acquisition of 750 homes from ilke. The deal followed the group’s acquisition of Modularwise in 2017.
Cowans said: “It has been, and remains, a privilege to have worked with many committed and hardworking people to develop the vision and the culture of the group as it is today.”
Richard Gregory, chairman of Places for People, added: “The group will owe David a huge debt when he retires, as he will leave behind a legacy of creating one of the country’s leading affordable-led placemakers.
“The strength in depth of the senior leadership team which David has assembled and handing over a business that is in very good shape will be his final legacy, and a great way for a CEO to bow out.”
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