Luxury retirement villages provider Audley Group has appointed Gary Burton as chief operating officer, to add to his current role as chief financial officer.

Burton joined Audley in 2020 has led finance, legal, IT, risk and governance and corporate development. In his additional role Burton will also leads Operations and HR.

Burton previously worked at home improvement retailer Kingfisher and health and wellbeing company Nuffield Health.

Audley also appointed group general counsel Mark Sadler to the board. Sadler joined Audley Group in 2021 from Intu Properties, where he was a senior legal counsel advising on M&A, joint ventures and financing. Over the past two years Sadler has supported the company’s investment activity, advising on transactions, operations, compliance and governance.

Audley Group’s chief executive Nick Sanderson said: “Gary’s appointment as COO is really a reflection of the value he is adding to the group. He has been and continues to be a visionary CFO, and shares with me a passion for the potential in this sector. Operations is vital to the success of the retirement village model; our needs align with our customers in developing and maintaining high quality environments and experiences. Our mission is one that Gary lives and breathes – the desire to help the UK live better, for longer.”

Burton said: “I am delighted to take on this role at a time when Audley Group continues to go from strength to strength. Operations is the beating heart of what we do and obsessing about the consistent delivery of exceptional customer service is our core focus, coupled with a desire to give the UK population the choices they deserve as they get older.”