Inspired Villages appoints Sharon Badelek as CFO

Sharon Badelek, chief financial officer, Inspired Villages

Inspired Villages Group has recruited Sharon Badelek as its chief financial officer, in a newly created position.

She will be supported by a team of 18 finance and investment professionals and will be working closely with group finance manager Tatiana Smith, who joined the organisation in March.

Badelek has over 20 years’ experience across the UK retail, leisure and healthcare sectors. Her previous roles include CFO and chief executive of Novus Leisure, group finance director at Vue Entertainment, group financial controller of Virgin Active and CFO of Westpoint Veterinary Group.

She will be joined on the board by new chief operating officer Tom Lord, who has been with the business since September 2018.

Jamie Bunce, Inspired Villages CEO, said: ‘Sharon’s appointment comes at a crucial time for the company. Her business acumen and strong customer-centric approach will be integral to our continued growth. Sharon and Tom’s board appointments will further support the company’s purpose of redefining the later living experience in this country and making a significant contribution to the overall strategic direction of Inspired Villages.’

Established by Legal & General in 2017, Inspired Villages has grown from a team of 25 to 300 employees, with capital commitments of half a billion pounds across its later living developments.

It operates six communities across the UK and is set to add to the portfolio with a further 2,500 homes over the next six years. Its seventh village, Ledian Gardens in Kent, is due to open in 2021, with construction already underway on an eighth site, Elderswell in Bedfordshire, and works due to start on a further four schemes next year.

It plans to deliver 50 later living communities over the next 5-10 years.

Phil Bayliss, CEO of Later Living at Legal & General, added: ‘Covid has shone a light on the clear and pressing need to support our over-65s population, safeguarding them, and reliving the burden on our overwhelmed NHS and social care systems. We all want and deserve to live healthier, better and more independent lives for longer.’