Our Group Chair is retiring after six years of leadership

We have announced that our Board Chair, John Weguelin, will retire at the end of the month after six years with us.  

John joined us in January 2020, bringing with him a distinguished career in financial services in the City.  He also had more than 10 years housing experience including involvement in Stonewater.  

During his tenure, he has helped to guide our organisation through a period of significant change, growth and challenge.  

Under his leadership, we have strengthened our focus on delivering safe, high quality homes, improving customer experience and investing in both communities and colleagues.  

Reflecting on his time with us, John said: “Being involved in housing and Platform has been an absolute privilege and one of the most rewarding periods of my working life.”  

Throughout his time as Chair, John has championed a strong customer focused approach, consistently reinforcing the importance of putting people – both customers and colleagues – at the heart of decision making.  

Kevin Bolt, our Interim Chief Executive Officer said: “John has provided outstanding leadership during his time as Chair, guiding Platform through a period of significant change and growth.  His focus on doing the right thing for our customers and his commitment to our people has helped shape the organisation we are today.  

“On behalf of everyone at Platform, I would like to thank John for his dedication, support and leadership over the past six years and wish him all the very best for the future.”  

During his tenure, John has overseen key developments including organisational transformation, continued growth in new homes delivery and strengthening our position as one of the largest housing associations in the Midlands.  

While he does not single out specific achievements, John reflects on the collective efforts of colleagues across the organisation as a defining feature of his time with us. 

Looking ahead, John will continue his role as Chair of a FinTech bank and is considering further opportunities within the housing sector, where he believes there remains significant opportunity to make a difference.  

We welcome Helen Gillett as our new Chair.  Helen has been working alongside John over the last 3 months to ensure a smooth transition and continued strong leadership.  

John leaves us with a strong legacy of customer focus, resilience and collaboration.  His leadership has helped position our organisation to continue delivering for its customers and communities, with a clear sense of purpose and direction for the future.  

Photo caption : John Weguelin is retiring from Platform Housing Group