Brains behind elite partners at the corporation quits his job

The deputy chief executive of the Housing Corporation this week resigned to become head of a 7000-home registered social landlord.

Neil Hadden, who is responsible for the quango’s £3.3bn development partner programme to build more than 62,500 homes by April next year, will leave in June to take up his post as chief executive of Aldwyck Housing Association.

The sudden announcement surprised the sector, although corporation chief executive Jon Rouse and Hadden both denied there was any kind of rift between the two men.

Hadden, said: “I’ve been at the corporation for 27 years and I want to do something different while I still can.

“The direction of the new investment programme is mapped out and people should not worry that there will be a massive change when I leave.”

Rouse said: “Neil’s going to be the chief executive of a major housing association – I can’t argue with that. It does leave a gap and we have to work hard to close that.

“There will be a full recruitment process to fill the post and short-term arrangements will be put in place to ensure the imminent bidding process for 2006 to 2008 runs smoothly. These will be announced shortly.”

Hadden is the third high-profile member of the corporation to resign in recent months – Derek King, formerly head of regulation for London, left in December, and Peter Bush, head of human resources, announced his departure two weeks ago. A raft of new posts have also been advertised over recent months since Rouse took over as chief executive in June (HT 11 June 2004, page 22; and see box right).

Reacting to Hadden’s departure, Kate Davies, chief executive of Notting Hill Housing Group, whose organisation missed out on becoming one of the corporation’s 70 elite development partners last March (HT 26 March, page 8), said: “Neil’s always been encouraging to us so I regret he is leaving … [However] if I was Jon Rouse I wouldn’t replace Neil as the corporation has strong regional field directors who have a good knowledge such as Steve Douglas in London. This is an opportunity for Jon to address the efficiency agenda and get rid of a senior position.”

Hadden’s new job was advertised at £95,000 in February, after the retirement of Nick Imber.

Hadden said: “I want to cement Aldwyck’s position of strength in the eastern region and exploit opportunities in the M11 growth area.”

Aldwyck Housing Association is based in Bedfordshire and received £19.7m from the corporation as an elite development partner last March.

It is also a zone agent for the ODPM’s £690m key worker living programme.