Former CIH president and Peabody COO will join recently enlarged and renamed provider in April
Lifestone Homes has announced the appointment of Elly Hoult as its chief executive.
Hoult, currently deputy chief executive and chief operating officer at Peabody, will join the 31,000-home provider in April. Lifestone Homes renamed itself earlier this month following the full amalgamation of Settle and Paradigm.
Hoult joined Peabody in January 2023 to lead on the integration of the landlord with Catalyst and then become chief operating officer a few months later. She has also been the G15 landlord’s deputy chief executive since April 2024.
Hoult was president of the Chartered Institute of Housing in 2024/25. She has also held roles at Notting Hill Genesis, Orbit and A2 Dominion.
She succeeds Matthew Bailes, who stepped down in June to recover from illness, as permanent chief executive of the group. Nicola Ewen, who for the past few months has been acting chief executive, will continue as deputy chief executive and chief financial officer.
Richard Moriarty, chair of Lifestone Homes, said: “Elly impressed the board with her clear vision for the future, exceptional leadership skills and passion for making a meaningful difference through social housing. Her extensive experience and ability to inspire high-performing teams made her the standout candidate in a very strong field.”
Hoult said: “Having grown up in a council house, I know how transformative a good home can be, providing the foundation for a better future. I’m excited to be joining Lifestone Homes at this time.”
Lifestone, which posted a turnover of £211m last year, manages homes across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.
It now owns more than 31,000 homes having acquired around 10,000 through last October’s acquisition of Settle and a further 3,500 from L&Q in a £302m stock transfer deal.
Hoult said: “The merger has created scale, financial strength and the capacity to invest in homes and communities. The next chapter is about building on those foundations and making an even greater difference for residents. I’m really looking forward to getting started and helping to establish Lifestone as one of the highest-performing housing associations in the country.”
Ian McDermott, chief executive of Peabody, said Hoult “made a significant contribution to Peabody, helping us improve services for residents and build stronger connections with the communities we serve”.
He said: “I’d like to thank her personally for her leadership, energy and commitment, and know she will go on to be a great CEO.”
No comments yet