Bob Walder
Bob is the Group Chief Executive and has
worked for Longhurst Group since 1989. He has dedicated his career
to housing, beginning in 1977 when he joined the Moss Care Housing
Association as a housing support and advice worker. Since then he
has worked his way up through a number of roles with different
companies and brings a huge amount of experience coupled with a
calm confidence.
Having graduated from Bristol University, he
qualified by examination for Membership of the Chartered Institute
of Housing in 1978 and has been a Fellow since 1990.
Since joining Longhurst in 1989 as Chief
Executive Officer, Bob has led the company with confidence and has
steered it through dramatic changes. He has been proactive in
seeing the company grow from 800 to 17,800 homes and the expansion
of community housing and care and support services. Bob has
overseen a number of successful business mergers and partnerships,
including the incorporation of Spire Homes into the Longhurst Group
of companies and the partnership of Beechdale Housing Association
and Friendship Care and Housing. Bob, together with our Chairman
David Armes, provides calm and inclusive leadership to Longhurst
Group’s board in governing and strategy, ensuring that the company
fulfills its aims, staff realise their potential and keeping the
company on track through the current period of economic
challenge.
Bob plays a significant role in the housing
sector outside of his work for Longhurst Group. He was Chairman of
the National Housing Federation (NHF) in the East Midlands for a
second time from 2001 to 2005 (having also held this post from
1993-1996). He was re-elected onto the regional committee in
Feburary 2012 for a three-year term. Bob was also Chairman of
the East Midlands Regional Housing Board until it was discontinued
in 2010. Bob remains committed to the provision of
decent housing for all who need it and is a keen supporter of
Homeless International.
With challenging times ahead, Bob feels that
the company and social housing sector as a whole needs to remain
focused on raising funds to create new homes and reinvesting in
existing housing stock. Bob has dedicated his working life to
housing and support, and believes that by working together we can
make a positive difference to local communities. He is very proud
of Longhurst Group, its many accomplishments and the great people
that make up the company.
On a more personal level, he enjoys listening
to the music of Bob Dylan, reading, trekking and walking. His
proudest personal moments were when his wife accepted his proposal
and his children graduated. His favourite holiday destination
remains Corsica because of its picturesque scenery and the
sentimental value it holds as the first holiday destination he went
to with his wife.