Riverside hires new chief customer officer from DWP

Riverside have appointed Liz Fairburn as chief customer officer.

The 75,000-home housing association has announced Fairburn will take up the role on 22 April, following the retirement of Patrick New as executive director of customer service.

Fairburn joins Riverside from the Department of Work and Pensions where she served as director of customer experience for three years. Her previous roles also include head of household claims at insurer Direct Line Group and customer service roles for RBS Insurance.

Fairburn will be tasked with shaping and implementing Riverside’s customer strategy, enhancing customer experience and ensuring quality of services.

She will lead the group’s homes and communities, customer contact and resolution, home ownership and Riverside Scotland teams - which together oversee tenancy management, income collection, complaints handling, allocations, customer engagement and regulatory compliance.

>>See also: Riverside records deficit for second consecutive year but increases new build

>>See also:Riverside names Paul Dolan as new chief executive

Paul Dolan, group chief executive at Riverside said: “We are thrilled to welcome Liz as our new chief customer officer and look forward to working with her.

“Having merged with One Housing Group three years ago, Liz joins us at a critical time as we roll out our new operating model for the delivery of customer services following an intensive period of transition and integration.”

This month has also seen Ian Gregg, formerly executive director of asset services, take up the role of chief property officer. He is responsible for all of Riverside’s property-related functions alongside development including London and growth.

The group built 1,479 new homes in 2023/24 more than the 1,016 recorded the previous year.