RHP hires Peabody chief operating officer as new CEO

The chief operating officer at Peabody is to become the chief executive of Richmond Housing Partnership (RHP) in April next year. 

Sarah Thomas returns to the 10,000-home south west London provider after leaving her role there as executive director of customer services seven years ago. 

Before working as chief operating officer (COO), at 104,000-home Peabody she was interim chief executive at Catalyst, after having joined that housing association as COO in 2019. 

Thomas also has eight years’ experience at a senior level at Eurostar, and served on the Housing Ombudsman’s advisory panel. 

RHP said she had “a strong track record in strategic leadership, transformation, performance, and customer experience”. 

She said: “RHP has a talented team which has always put people first and sought to deliver the best for their customers. 

“I look forward to working with the board, and RHP’s colleagues and residents to continue this momentum so that we can navigate the current headwinds to deliver high levels of customer satisfaction and business performance.”

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Keith Jenkins, interim chair of RHP , said: “With Sarah’s experience of both social housing and the commercial sector, I am confident she has the qualities to lead the group to even more success. Both the board and I are looking forward to working with her”.

Thomas replaces David Done, who will be leaving in March 2023 after 22 years leading RHP. Done will be working with similar organisations to the housing association, as a non-executive director and advisor.

RHP is currently working on a 452-home regeneration scheme at Ham Close in partnership with housebuilder Hill Group. It is looking to build 500 homes over five years.