LONDON: Harworth Group, a leading regenerator of land and property for development and investment, announced that the Board has appointed Lynda Shillaw to succeed Owen Michaelson as Chief Executive Officer.

Her appointment will take effect on 1 November 2020, allowing time for an orderly handover before Owen retires from the Company on 31 December 2020.

Lynda is currently Group Property Director and a Board Member at London Stock Exchange-listed Town Centre Securities plc where she leads the management of its land and property and its development pipeline.

Before that she was Divisional CEO, Property at the Manchester Airports Group (MAG), where she was responsible for MAG’s investment portfolio and development land bank, including its “Airport City” joint venture.  This followed a long career managing both investment and development real estate portfolios for BT and Co-operative Group before joining Lloyds Banking Group as Global Head of its Real Estate lending division.

Lynda is also a Non-Executive Director of The Crown Estate and Vivid Housing Association.

Commenting on the appointment Alastair Lyons, Non-executive Chair of Harworth, said:  “I am delighted to have someone succeeding Owen who is as well known in our core regions and beyond as Lynda is for the depth of her real estate and regeneration experience and who has an undoubted natural affinity for our core purpose – to transform land and property into sustainable places where people want to live and work. I have great confidence in her ability to lead Harworth on the next stage of its application of its highly differentiated skills as a master developer to generate long-term market leading returns.  I would also like to thank Owen for what Harworth has achieved under his leadership and wish him well for the future.”

Lynda Shillaw, Chief Executive-designate, added: “This is a really exciting opportunity to lead a highly regarded business that makes a real contribution to the communities in which it works. Few companies have Harworth’s track record in successfully regenerating large complex sites and I look forward to working with and leading such a strong and experienced team in a part of the world with which I have a strong association.”

Listed on the premium segment of the main market, Harworth Group plc (LSE: HWG) invests to transform land and property into sustainable places where people want to live and work. Harworth owns and manages a portfolio of approximately 18,000 acres of land on around 100 sites located throughout the North of England and Midlands.