New chair appointed

Terry Rich has been appointed Group Board Chair of Avenues Group. As chair, he will be responsible for the overall strategic direction of the group.

Terry has unrivaled experience for the position having spent a long and successful career in the health and social care sector of local government, providing leadership and change management. Through his own consultancy which he set up four years ago, Terry has brought experience, expertise, innovation and drive to lift standards and introduce much-needed integration across health and social care boundaries. This includes current work as a consultant contributor to leadership development programmes for the NHS Leadership Academy.

Prior to this, his leadership as a Director in three authorities over 12 years transformed social care services from failing to high performing status – an achievement of which he is justly proud. Social housing has also been an important part of Terry’s work and this is reflected in his deep interest in social issues from a young age when he gained his masters degree with a dissertation entitled ‘Rebuilding the Slums’.

Outside work, Terry has been no less active.  He was Chair of London’s Association of Directors for Social Services in 2011 and, beyond UK’s shores, is Secretary of an international non-governmental organisation responsible for developing health and health education facilities in a rural part of Bangladesh.

“We are delighted to have Terry at our helm’ says Steve James, longstanding Group Chief Executive Officer. “His expertise will bring new impetus and wise counsel to the organisation as we deliver our new strategic plan to concentrate on complexity – supporting people with the greatest need.  We look forward to the additional strength he will bring.”

“Avenues Group has long been a quality provider and I am proud to be serving on the Board”, says Terry Rich. “It is going to be a challenge with its 1400 employees helping over 600 people across different parts of the country, but it is one that I relish and one that I intend to see succeed.”