Baroness Blackstone announced as future Orbit chair

Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Housing

Baroness Tessa Blackstone is to succeed Liz Potter as chair of Orbit housing group when her six-year term comes to an end in January 2013.

Baroness Blackstone, who was Vice Chancellor of the University of Greenwich from 2004 to 2011,previously served as Master of Birkbeck College, University of London, from 1987 to 1997 before being appointed as Minister for Education (1997-2001) and then Minister for the Arts (2001-2003).

Among her senior governance roles, Baroness Blackstone is Chair of Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and chair of the Board of the British Library.

Last year Liz Potter launched the Orbit 2020 programme, a wide-ranging debate to develop Orbit’s future strategy, transform the business and ensure its position as one of the country’s leading housing and community investment organisations.

Orbit’s new 2020 vision and transformation programme will be launched in January 2013 as the new chair takes over to guide implementation of the new 2020 strategy.

Orbit Deputy Chair Professor Tony Crook said: “Baroness Blackstone has the skills and experience to lead the Board and to help us support the Chief Executive and his team in delivering the 2020 vision and transformation programmewhen she takes over as chair early next year.”

Baroness Blackstone, a Labour life peer, said: “Creating the homes and communities where people want to live is one of the biggest challenges we face in our society today. Orbit has a key role to play in that and I’m thrilled that I will be joining Orbit at a time of such huge opportunity and challenge.”