Bield appoints chief operating officer to drive next stage of growth
A Scottish housing provider has appointed its first chief operating officer to assist with the roll out of its new corporate strategy.
With her support and guidance, Debbie Collins will assist Bield Housing and Care to make positive contributions to its people, homes and communities and ultimately achieve its 10 year vision of leading, setting and delivering the global standard for ageing at home.
As chief operating officer, Debbie will be responsible for overseeing the Finance, IT, Governance, Business Assurance (Performance and Risk), Procurement and Strategic Projects departments. She will have five team members reporting directly to her.
Her employment history includes a six-year stint as finance director at Blackwood where she also oversaw the IT Department and was the executive lead on a major transfer project.
As a CIMA-qualified accountant, Debbie brings a wealth of experience in finance across both the public and private sector.
Debbie said: “After learning about Bield’s new corporate strategy and direction, I was really interested in playing a part in their exciting development.
“Working within the housing sector is immensely rewarding, especially as we can be directly responsible for creating solutions to enable older people to live independently in their own homes.
“I’m also looking forward to developing Bield’s new digital strategy to support change in the delivery of our services to customers and putting digital advancements at the forefront of our offering.
“This will include a level of skill development, not just for our tenants but for staff too, which will really transform what we can achieve and provide a range of opportunities to grow and expand.”
As well as Debbie's extensive experience within the industry, the Edinburgh local has also completed a Prince 2 foundation and course in coaching.
Born in Wales, Debbie lived in east Fife for over twenty-five years before moving to Edinburgh in 2006. She enjoys living in Scotland’s capital, but still ventures back across the Firth of Forth to go walking and play golf in Fife in her spare time.
Bield is a registered charity dedicated to providing flexible and high-quality housing solutions and support for older people. Bield Housing and Care has around 180 developments across Scotland.
Dr Lynne Douglas, Bield CEO, said: “As an experienced Director in the sector delivering housing projects to meet specific and diverse challenges, Debbie has hit the ground running. She brings skills that will help us drive positive change and growth, making her a real asset to the team at this exciting time.”
