New Chief Executive appointed at Greater Manchester housing association

Greater Manchester housing association, Great Places Housing Group, has announced the appointment of Alison Dean as its new Chief Executive.

Outgoing Chief Executive Matt Harrison is standing down after more than 10 years in the job and over 30 with the organisation. Great Places Housing Group is a significant social landlord in Stockport, following its merger with Cheadle Hulme-based Equity Housing Group, and is currently developing two affordable housing schemes within the Town Centre West regeneration district being delivered by Stockport MDC.

Alison Dean, currently Deputy Chief Executive at Great Places, will take over her new role from 1st July 2024. She originally joined Great Places as a graduate in 1997 working in customer involvement, moving into regeneration and several housing management roles. Since then, Alison has driven cultural change through continuous improvement of services and became Deputy Chief Executive in 2022.

Announcing the appointment, Chair of Great Places Mervyn Jones said:

“We are delighted that Alison has accepted the position after a robust recruitment process and significant competition from other exceptional, experienced candidates.

“This appointment signals the strength of our organisation and will continue to build on the success of our development programme as well as investing more than ever before into existing customers’ homes.

“I would like to thank Matt Harrison for everything he has done for our customers, colleagues and communities. I look forward to working closely with Alison as we open a new chapter and continue to move forward to help more people live in safe and secure homes.“

Commenting on her appointment, Alison said:

“I am delighted to have been chosen to lead this fantastic organisation at an exciting time for our business as we prepare to launch our new ambitious corporate plan.

“Our people and partners are passionate about delivering excellent services to our customers and we will remain committed to helping tackle the housing crisis and improving the communities we serve.“