New CEO at the Housing regulator

Andy Rose, a partner at AgFe, a European debt advisor and asset manager, will be taking on the top job at the agency.

He will be responsible for the government’s £1.8 billion affordable homes programme, and oversee 1,000 employees.

Mr Rose will also have a hand on the purse strings of an annual operating budget of £100 million and annual investment budget of £1.5 billion.

He will take over from interim boss Richard Hill on 15 April.

Two weeks ago Inside Housing revealed the deputy chief executive and director of programmes was covering the role until a permanent appointment could be made following the departure of Pat Ritchie who left the agency at the end of January.

She turned down the top job at the agency in order to take up the better paid role of chief executive at Newcastle Council.

The HCA then bulked out the advertised salary from £142,000 – less than the prime minister as a result of pressure from former housing minister Grant Shapps, but also other HCA senior staff – to be worth £160,000 a year.

The resulting fresh recruitment drive was understood to have attracted six ‘strong’ candidates for the permanent role – all of whom were interviewed by HCA chair Robert Napier, and Communities and Local Government department director general for neighbourhoods Peter Schofield.

Robert Napier, chair of the HCA, said: ‘I am delighted to have found someone of Andy’s background, with huge experience of both the public and private sectors, to undertake the critical role of leading the agency on a permanent basis.

‘Andy brings with him outstanding leadership skills and the Board and I were impressed by his vision for the HCA, as a key delivery agency for government.’

Mr Rose said: ‘The HCA has an enviable reputation built on strong commercial, social and regulatory expertise, and above all a track record of delivery.

‘It is clear that continued delivery in the sector depends on the ever closer integration of the public and private sectors, and with my experience of both I am extremely excited by the opportunity to lead the agency into the future.’

Mr Rose was previously chief executive of Infrastructure UK, the body within HM Treasury which focused on producing a long term plan for UK infrastructure.

There he was initially responsible for establishing and leading the Infrastructure Finance Unit, created to lend directly to infrastructure projects.

Communities secretary Eric Pickles, who approved the appointment, said Mr Rose ‘brings with him a wealth of commercial experience that will prove vital as we pull out all the stops to get Britain building’.

David Orr, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, welcomed the appointment.

‘It is critical that the Homes and Communities Agency has a leader at the helm who understands the challenges the sector faces, as it plays a pivotal role in helping the country build more desperately needed homes,’ he said.

‘Andy Rose’s substantial experience in both the public and private sectors, particularly in attracting finance for long-term infrastructure projects, prepares him well for this role – and for a sector that has needed to adapt to drastic changes in recent years.’