Unity Chief Executive In Running For Yorkshire Business Leaders Award

Everyone at Unity is enormously proud at news that our chief executive, Ali Akbor, has been shortlisted in the Director of the Year (not-for-profit) category for the Yorkshire Business Leaders Awards 2017.

Forty two individuals will compete for eight awards at the Royal Armouries in Leeds on 18 May.

The ceremony honours the most successful and dynamic chief executives, managing directors, chief financial officers, finance directors, HR directors and sales directors, as well as other business directors and senior managers who are making a significant contribution to their organisation and the wider Yorkshire region.

The event is organised by Insider on behalf of event partners Aon, Endless, HSBC, Parkinson Lee and Pinsent Masons.

Ali said: “I am very humbled at being shortlisted for this prestigious award, which I regard as recognition of the collective progress Unity has made as we celebrate our 30th anniversary this year.

“We are now rightly regarded as one of the North’s most efficient, effective and innovative organisations of its kind.

“In 2015/16 Unity completed 80 new affordable homes with an investment of £8.3 million. In the current year, a further 46 new homes have been built at a cost of £6.1 million as part of a successful bid to the Homes and Communities Agency to build 120 new properties for affordable rent, our largest-ever house building programme.

“Our strong performance in the last financial year was assisted by the return to profit of Unity Enterprise, with the tenant retention rate at our three business centres now standing at an all-time high.

“I look forward to attending the awards ceremony and having the opportunity to talk to some of the region’s most influential leaders about Unity’s work and achievements.”

The shortlist is as follows:

Director of the Year (not-for-profit)

• Ali Akbor, chief executive, Unity Homes & Enterprise
• Stephanie Burras, chief executive, Ahead Partnership
• Caroline Harrison, chief executive, Aspire-Igen Group
• Mark O’Reilly, chief executive, Team Humber Marine Alliance
• Andrew Palmer, chief executive, North of England Excellence