Richard Cook will join the group executive team in February to lead ambitious development plans.

He joined Lendlease in 2010 as head of delivery of the design and build contracts on the Olympic Village for London 2012. Later as head of residential, he was responsible for delivering 1,000 new homes each year of mixed tenure from open market to affordable.

His extensive career in residential development includes senior roles at Mace and Taylor Wimpey.

Clare Miller, group chief executive at Clarion, said: “We are delighted to appoint Richard to take forward our ambitious development plans as we look to play a key role in tackling the country’s housing crisis.”

Cook said: “Clarion has the strength and capacity to deliver at scale, providing real opportunities for place-making and creating thriving communities. It’s an exciting time to join the business and I look forward to leading its growth.”