Noel Sharpe named new chief executive of Bolton at Home | News

Noel Sharpe has been announced as the new chief executive officer for the Bolton at Home group and will officially take up the role on 1 January 2023.

Noel Sharpe, who has been deputy group chief executive of Bolton at Home since 2018, takes over as CEO from Jon Lord who is stepping down after more than a decade leading the organisation.

Noel has worked in the housing sector for many years and has held senior leadership roles for the last 15 years for providers including Halton Housing and Great Places Housing Group before joining Bolton at Home in 2015.

Commenting on her appointment as group CEO, she said: “I’m very much looking forward to building on the great work done by Jon and our colleagues across the group to serve our customers and make our communities stronger.

“I am delighted to have been given this opportunity. We have a clear business plan and my priority is to ensure we deliver on this. We’ll continue working hard to give more people the opportunity to live in a quality and affordable home, and provide a range of services to help people live prosperous and fulfilling lives."

Ian Munro, chair of the Bolton at Home group board, said: “During the recruitment process we considered applications from people across the housing sector and beyond. It was clear that Noel was the outstanding candidate.

“The board has full confidence she’s the right person to steer us through the current challenges in the housing sector, and to continue taking the organisation forward in a way that leads to better outcomes for our communities.”

Jon Lord is leaving the role of CEO as he prepares for retirement. He has worked in the housing sector since 1987 when he started a traineeship within the housing department at Bolton Council, and he became CEO of Bolton at Home in 2010. Jon was awarded an OBE in 2007 for services to social housing, and for a decade was also the chair of the Greater Manchester Housing Providers partnership- a group of 24 housing providers working at the heart of long-term housing, health and place making strategy in the region.

Jon said: “It’s been an unexpected privilege to lead Bolton at Home. Particularly given it has always been my hometown.

The last 13 years as chief executive have been full of challenges, including the pandemic, which led to a slowdown in repairs carried out. Now we are recovering that situation it feels the right time to hand over to a new chief executive.

I can’t think of anyone better than Noel to take the organisation forward into future challenges and meet the changing customer demand we are seeing.”

As well as being part of Bolton at Home’s Executive Management Team Noel is also a board member of Bolton Community Homes, which brings together eight registered housing providers across Bolton to work together to shape housing strategy and delivery in the borough, sits on the Integrated Care Partnership for Bolton and is a Trustee of Bolton Lads and Girls Club. Noel is also a board member of our social enterprise subsidiary, Starts with you.

Noel also chairs the Economic Prosperity Group, which is part of the 2030 Bolton Vision steering group. Bolton Vision is a local partnership that brings together senior leaders from the voluntary, community and faith sector, the private sector, the university, college and schools, health, emergency services and the council.