Livv names new chief executive

Livv Housing Group has announced the appointment of Sharon Marsh as its new chief executive officer.

Her appointment follows the resignation of Léann Hearne, who led the 13,000-home landlord through a rebrand and regulatory upgrades, in April. Hearne took the decision to resign following a series “personal challenges”, including the loss of her mother, her dad’s deteriorating health her husband’s cancer scare and heart attack.

Marsh has spent 13 years at Livv (formerly known as First Ark and before that Knowsley Housing Trust), having held several senior leadership positions.

Most recently, she was executive director of customer insight, and she has almost two decades of experience in human resources. Marsh will take over the role fully following a transition period of unspecified length.

The role of chief executive was advertised externally following Hearne’s resignation and Marsh’s appointment follows “a rigorous and competitive recruitment process” during which she was unanimously selected by the board.

Philip Raw, chair of Livv, said: “Sharon’s leadership was instrumental in our most recent regulatory upgrade. Her grasp of both the operational and strategic challenges facing housing providers is exceptional. This appointment reflects our continued commitment to regulatory excellence, customer-focused service, and long-term resilience in a rapidly evolving housing landscape.”

Marsh and Hearne will work together over the coming months “to ensure a smooth transition.”

>>See also: Livv takes legal advice after Unite sets up unofficial ‘hotline’ for resident complaints

>>See also: ‘Reserves are not excess funds’ - Livv hits back at unions as quarter of staff strike over pay

Marsh said: “I’m honoured to step into the CEO role at such a pivotal time. The housing sector is under increasing scrutiny, and at Livv, we’re committed to meeting those expectations with transparency, accountability, and a relentless focus on our core mission: providing safe, secure, and quality homes.

“Under Léann’s leadership, we’ve made significant strides, and I’m excited to build on that strong foundation to continue delivering excellent services to our customers and meeting the evolving expectations of our regulators.”

Livv Housing Group was recently involved in an eight-month industrial dispute with the Unions and Unite which saw hundreds of staff repeatedly take strike action. The dispute was resolved last month.