Irvine Housing Association has appointed a new chair to its board from September.

Jim Strang – who has more than 40 years’ experience within the housing sector – will join the housing association’s Board of Governance at its AGM in August, with a view to taking on the role of chair from September, replacing current chair Duncan McEachran when his five-year maximum tenure ends.

Mr Strang, who served as president of the Chartered Institute of Housing in 2018/19, has held a number of key strategic and managerial roles within the housing sector over the past 40 years.

Mr Strang’s career began in 1978 at Glasgow City Council. He then took on number of housing roles in several local authorities before being appointed group chief executive of Parkhead Housing Association in 2007.

In 2020 he retired from full-time employment but has continued to serve on the Boards of several organisations including Ferguslie Park Housing Association, The New Tannahill Centre and The Homelessness Network Scotland.

Managing director Paul Hillard said: “We would like to welcome Jim to Irvine Housing Association and we’re delighted to have appointed a new Chair with such a wealth of housing experience and expertise. I look forward to working closely with Jim to navigate the many challenges and opportunities that will arise during the next phase of our development.

“I would also very much like to thank our outgoing Chair Duncan McEachran for his unwavering service to the Board over the past five years and wish him every success going forward.”

Jim Strang said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be joining such a dynamic organisation and I look forward to working with the team at Irvine HA and more widely with The Riverside Group.”