Edinburgh-based Bield Housing and Care has appointed Debbie Collins as chief operating officer, responsible for overseeing the finance, IT, governance, business assurance, procurement and strategic projects departments.

Collins is a CIMA-qualified accountant who was finance director at Blackwood for six years.

Collins said: “After learning about Bield’s new corporate strategy and direction, I was really interested in playing a part in their exciting development. Working within the housing sector is immensely rewarding, especially as we can be directly responsible for creating solutions to enable older people to live independently in their own homes.

“I’m also looking forward to developing Bield’s new digital strategy to support change in the delivery of our services to customers and putting digital advancements at the forefront of our offering. This will include a level of skill development, not just for our tenants but for staff too, which will really transform what we can achieve and provide a range of opportunities to grow and expand.”

Bield’s chief executive Dr Lynne Douglas said: “As an experienced director in the sector delivering housing projects to meet specific and diverse challenges, Debbie has hit the ground running. She brings skills that will help us drive positive change and growth, making her a real asset to the team at this exciting time”.

Bield is a charity providing housing and support for older people. Bield Housing and Care has around 180 developments across Scotland.