Efficiency North is delighted to announce the appointment of new Board Chair, Jackie Axelby, who took up the post on 8 May 2017.
Jackie brings outstanding experience and skills to the role, as well as genuine passion, enthusiasm and understanding of Efficiency North’s core aims and vision. A native of Yorkshire, Jackie has recently returned after having spent 27 years in the North East working in senior executive and non-executive positions. Most recently, Jackie was Group Chair of Isos Housing Group. She has also chaired Northumberland Learning and Skills Council, the North-East Judging Panel of the National Training Awards and the Dental Services Board, NHS North-East. Having begun her career in the NHS in Sheffield, she went on to hold several Chief Executive positions in the health service in South Yorkshire, Lancashire and the North-East. Jackie has also been involved in several charitable enterprises and is the current Chair of ESCAPE Family Support Ltd which provides support to individuals and families affected by the impact of drug and alcohol abuse. Jackie was awarded her MBE in 2014 for services to the education, learning and skills sector.
Jackie will chair the new Efficiency North Holdings Ltd company recently established in response to the changing needs of EN’s social housing landlord membership. EN Holdings will incorporate not only Efficiency North Ltd but also two new ventures which will tackle the skills crisis in the sector and the acute need for ways to accelerate housing delivery in the region. Surplus from the new ventures will be gifted to EN’s charitable arm, the EN:Able CIO, to increase its capacity to channel funding into local communities and boost employment and training opportunities for those furthest from the labour market.
- Jackie Axelby and Mick Werritt
Jackie takes the helm from outgoing Chair Mick Werritt, Director of Property Services at St Leger Homes of Doncaster, who retires from the role after 11 years of service to EN. Her first official public appointment on behalf of EN will be speaking at the consortium’s annual conference at the KCOM stadium in Hull on 13 June.
Speaking about her new role, Jackie commented, “I’m very excited to be joining the Efficiency North team at such a fascinating time. The consortium has achieved impressive growth in the past few years developing its bespoke range of procurement services for social housing landlord members and added value in support of their local communities. My immediate focus will be EN’s ambitious plans for its new ventures. I’m very much looking forward to the challenges ahead, and working together with members to establish the consortium’s expanding range of local solutions to national issues.”
Chief Executive of Efficiency North Lee Parkinson said, “We’re all very pleased to welcome Jackie to the EN team. Having someone at the helm with such a high level of experience, skill and passion is a fantastic coup for EN which will only serve to strengthen the Board’s capacity and carry the organisation forward with members through such a pivotal moment in EN’s progress. I thank Mick for his time and commitment to Efficiency North and personally for the support and guidance that he has given me through the company’s growth and development.”
Mick Werritt commented, “It’s been a pleasure and privilege to have been part of Efficiency North over the past 11 years and seeing the organisation evolve through so many important phases, growing from a ‘benchmarking/buying club’ of 4 South Yorkshire to a not for profit company of Yorkshire & Humber housing providers representing nearly 80% of the region’s stock within its membership today. I’m delighted that Jackie, with her passion for supporting people and her wealth of senior level expertise, has accepted the role of steering EN through the next exciting phase of its journey.”