Retirement Villages Group (“RVG”) has made three senior appointments to help the business see through its ambitious growth strategy to deliver 5000 new homes over the next 10 years with a focus on building supportive communities which focus on community and resident wellbeing.
Duncan Matthews joins RVG as Development Director and will oversee all aspects of development for RVG’s Thive Living collection – a flagship property proposition focused on putting senior living homes back into the heart of communities, whilst meeting the highest standards in sustainability, design, and build.
Duncan Matthews, Retirement Villages GroupDuncan will lead on all development aspects from buying new sites, scheme design, planning consents and construction management. He joins with the aim of making the Thrive Living collection a market leader for Integrated Retirement Communities, adding to RVG’s existing 16-village portfolio. Duncan has over twenty years’ experience working in residential development, including 14 years at the Berkeley Group.
MARKETING
As Sales and Marketing Director, Simon Dickinson will head up RVG’s sales and marketing teams, supporting the next phase of RVG’s growth strategy. Simon joins RVG from Signature Senior Living, where he held the role of Sales and Brand Director, managing all aspects of Sales and Marketing activity, from both an operational and a strategic perspective. He previously held the role of Regional Operations Director at Bupa, overseeing several homes in central London, before developing the customer proposition in Bupa’s privately funded estate. He has also held several roles in blue chip retail outlets, including B&Q, Terra Firma, and BHS.
CARE, WELLBEING, COMMUNITY
Joanna Atkins joins as Head of Care, Wellbeing and Community. Joanna will be responsible for the business’ Care, Wellbeing and Community strategies, and will play a critical part in developing and carrying out RVG’s wellbeing assessments with residents across all 16 villages, delivering on the business’ promise to support residents to 
Simon Dickinson, Retirement Villages Groupcontinue to live well for longer. She will manage the performance and quality of RVG’s third party regulated care providers and set the service delivery standards for Wellbeing colleagues in villages, along with supporting managers to deliver on these requirements to the highest standard. Jo has 25 years of nursing experience within the NHS, including working within the community and across mental health and acute care. Her last role was Head of Nursing for an NHS acute and community trust.
Will Bax, Chief Executive of Retirement Villages Group, says: ‘’Duncan, Simon and Jo join us at an exciting time. The launch of our innovative new Thrive Living collection and wider focus on enhancing the resident experience across our classic portfolio mark the start of a new chapter for RVG and the IRC sector. The appointments add more talent and experience to our senior team and will be key to delivering better options for a new generation who are ageing differently and expect more from later life.”
Duncan Matthews, Development Director, says: “Retirement Villages Group is pioneering retirement living with their primary focus of putting older people at the heart of communities. I look forward to being part of the next phase in the business’ journey, by 
Jo Atkins, Retirement Villages Groupheading up the development of the new Thrive Living Collection and investing in our flourishing existing villages.”
Simon Dickinson, Head of Sales and Marketing, adds: “I’m thrilled to be joining Retirement Villages Group at a pivotal juncture in the future of this growing business. With the upcoming launch of the Thrive Living collection, RVG is well placed to take the business in an exciting new direction and cement its role as a market leader in the retirement living sector. I hope I can use my expertise to help realise RVG’s vision for the future.”
And Joanna Atkins, Head of Wellbeing, says: “I am thrilled to be joining RVG and will work to ensure our teams continue to provide the best possible experience for residents, and offer the high quality of support they need. I believe in RVG’s mission to help people live longer lives in their own homes for as long as possible and am keen to use my many years’ experience working for the NHS to help achieve this goal.”
