Care provider The Abbeyfield Society has appointed Paul Tennant as its new chief executive, effective from January 2022.
Tennant (pictured) will join The Abbeyfield Society, which owns and manages around 20 UK care homes and serves as an umbrella body for 145 Abbeyfield Member Societies, from the Law Society.
Tennant as served as chief executive at The Law Society for the past five years.
During his time with The Law Society, Tennant led the organisation through a process of modernisation, reducing the cost of the Society to its members and supporting staff and members through the pandemic.
His new role at Abbeyfield will see him making a return to the housing sector, where he has spent the majority of his career to date.
Tennant’s credentials include leading property management and development companies, working with housing associations, charities, communities, government and local authorities, funders and property developers.
He was formerly President of the Chartered Institute of Housing and received an OBE in 2016 for services to housing.
“Housing remains a key interest for me, especially services for older people. The role of chief executive for The Abbeyfield Society is an opportunity too good to pass up,” he said.
“In all of my roles I have sought to create and lead effective organisations and stretch them to do more; developing people and teams to maximise their potential and impact they can have; in the housing sector this has been to support excluded and disadvantaged groups to make a real difference to their lives and choices.”
The Abbeyfield Society chairwoman Jenny Lawrence added: “We are delighted to have found in Paul a very experienced and knowledgeable CEO, who will be able to continue to drive and deliver our ambitions for growth across care and housing services for older people.”
The organisation has over 370 homes and houses in the UK and overseas, in which staff and 4,000 volunteers support 8,000 older people.
