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2nd April 2024
Inquilab and Westway come together to form Karibu Community Homes Limited
Inquilab Housing Association and Westway Housing Association have merged to create the largest BME Registered Provider in the UK.
The two organisations merged on 1 April 2024 to create Karibu Community Homes Limited (Karibu). Karibu means ‘welcome’ in Swahili.
The move follows a consultation with residents, employees and key stakeholders. It was approved by the boards of Inquilab and Westway on 28 February 2024. Law firm Devonshires advised both parties jointly on the merger.
Karibu will have more than 1,900 properties following the merger.
The creation of Karibu will see the best of both organisations coming together to:
- Provide better services for customers
- Invest more in improving homes and building new ones
- Provide greater opportunities to retain and attract new colleagues
The two housing associations pride themselves on having their customers’ voices at the heart of everything they do.
There will also be continuity of leadership:
- Dave Baptiste, Chair of Westway, will become the Chair of Karibu from 1st April 2024.
- Ricky Scipio, current CEO of Westway will be appointed as Managing Director, working alongside Gina Amoh, Inquilab and Karibu CEO for a period of six months, before fully taking the reigns as Karibu’s CEO. This is a period of handover as the two organisations come together.
Dave Baptiste, incoming Chair of Karibu, said:
“Great customer service is at the heart of everything we do. Therefore, the support of our customers, shareholders and people, has been instrumental in our decision to merge.
“Together, as Karibu, we are stronger, and this will allow us to invest more in existing and new homes than we could on our own. Whilst enhancing our services by taking the best of both from each organisation.
“This is therefore an exciting step our journey. I am therefore not only proud of everything we have achieved individually, but also of what I know we will achieve together.”
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Proposed Merger with Westway Housing Consultation Results
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