Fresh leadership appointed to lead service improvement and growth at BD Group
BD Group has appointed a new Chief Executive to lead the organisation. Following an extensive search, the board has chosen Andrew Pollard as its new Chief Executive. He previously led Place Partnership, the first multi-agency Property Asset Management project of its kind, which was backed by the Cabinet Office.
BD Group was formed by Barking and Dagenham Council with a commitment to bring together a public sector heart with the management and entrepreneurial skills of the commercial sector. Andrew’s wide experience across both sectors means he brings with him a wealth of skills in service improvement, strong governance and the ability to develop and advance new opportunities within the business. This will enable Andrew to drive change in service quality across housing, commercial property and schools with a view to broadening the client base of the business.
In addition, Andrew has wide experience in the property development, financing and property management which will support the company as it creates a commercial and education partnership on a recently purchased 20-acre site, LondonEast-UK. The Council has a vision for the site as a higher education centre for universities and a high-tech business centre, attracting media companies for both film and television.
Tim Byles, Chairman of the BD Group, said:
“It says a lot about Barking and Dagenham as a place and about the BD Group as a company that we have managed to attract such an experienced and senior professional to come and lead us. Andrew has wide Property, Facilities Management and legal experience having led a number of highly successful businesses. We are confident he will set a creative path for achieving the objectives of the business to drive change, engage with our stakeholders and build the capabilities of our workforce over the next twenty years.”
Cllr Dominic Twomey, Deputy Leader of the Council and Chair of the Shareholder panel that oversees the work of BDTP from within the council, said:
“We have turned this wonderful Borough into an area of rapid and dynamic change. In creating the BD Group in 2018 we knew that this organisation had to be about a public sector ethos with a commercially focused approach. Getting Andrew on board means we can now match our ambition with the “can-do” attitude that is turning Barking and Dagenham into one of the best places to live and work in the country.”
Andrew Pollard said:
“I am immensely proud and excited to be joining the BD Group at this pivotal moment. Having established itself in 2018, the group is now well placed to broaden its clientele and will aim to deliver high-quality services across the piece. It is people that create places and I look forward to working with colleagues, residents, Councillors and all those who use our services to ensure we change the way we do things so that we can gain respect across London and more widely for what we do and how we do it.”