Debbie Collins

The housing and care provider said Ms Collins will assist Bield to make positive contributions to its people, homes and communities and ultimately achieve its 10-year vision of leading, setting and delivering the global standard for ageing at home.

Born in Wales, Ms Collins has spent over 25 years in East Fife before moving to Edinburgh in 2006. She is known in the sector for her financial acumen, having served as finance director at Blackwood for six years, during which she also managed the IT department and led a major transfer project.

As a CIMA-qualified accountant, she has gathered extensive financial experience in both public and private sectors.

In her new role, Ms Collins will oversee key departments including Finance, IT, Governance, Business Assurance (Performance and Risk), Procurement and Strategic Projects. She will supervise five direct reports.

Ms 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.”

As well as her extensive experience within the industry, the Edinburgh local has also completed a Prince 2 foundation and course in Coaching.

Warmly welcoming Ms Collins, Bield CEO Dr Lynne Douglas noted: “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.”

Bleid Housing and Care is a registered charity focused on providing high-quality and flexible housing solutions and support for older people. It operates around 180 developments across Scotland.