Appointments, Entrepreneurship, Europe, Property, United Kingdom

Leeds Housing Association Appoints New Enterprise Manager

1 September 2026

Editorial Brief

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Ben Nutt has been appointed as the new manager of Unity Enterprise, a subsidiary of Unity Homes and Enterprise, a Leeds-based BME housing association. Nutt, previously an account manager at Morrisons, will oversee the management of business centres and support local entrepreneurship by providing services to business tenants. This appointment is significant as it aims to bolster local business growth and support aspiring entrepreneurs in the community.

EDITORIAL INSIGHT: Context, industry insight and market perspectives of this news story

The appointment of a new enterprise manager at Unity Enterprise signals a routine leadership change at one of Leeds’ established providers of affordable business space. With a background in wholesale and commercial operations, the incoming manager brings relevant experience to a not-for-profit subsidiary that supports a wide range of small businesses and entrepreneurs in the city.

For local business tenants and those considering enterprise in the region, such appointments can influence the day-to-day support and resources available, though the core mission of Unity Enterprise remains unchanged. The focus on supporting diverse businesses and encouraging entrepreneurship within the social housing sector continues to be a distinctive feature of the organisation’s work in Leeds.

Story Ideas

Local/community

Impact of New Leadership on Local Entrepreneurship

Ben Nutt's appointment as manager of Unity Enterprise could influence the local business landscape by supporting diverse entrepreneurship and potentially altering the dynamics of business growth in Leeds. The focus on empowering individuals in social housing to pursue entrepreneurship is particularly notable.

Target audience: local newspapers, community radio stations, Leeds-focused blogs
Story potential: 7/10

Industry trend

Shifts in Regional Business Support: Unity Enterprise’s New Strategy

With Ben Nutt's appointment, Unity Enterprise may shift its strategy in supporting small businesses, reflecting broader regional trends in business incubation and support. This aligns with recent discussions on how regional organisations are adapting to support entrepreneurship in diverse communities.

Target audience: regional business magazines, professional networks
Story potential: 6/10

Press Release

LEEDS, UK - 1 September 2026

An experienced account manager and wholesale specialist with a proven track record in commercial operations, supply chains and logistics has been appointed manager of Unity Enterprise (UE), the not-for-profit subsidiary of Leeds-based BME housing association Unity Homes and Enterprise. Ben Nutt joins from Morrisons where he was an account manager within Morrisons’ Wholesale division. A graduate in business management from the University of Bradford and awarded Chartered Manager status by the Chartered Management Institute, he has also completed the Morrisons Degree Apprenticeship Scheme.

Established in 2000 to support local entrepreneurship, UE provides 153 affordable business units across three centres for more than 140 diverse businesses, which together employ more than 1,250 people. In his new role, Nutt will lead a multi-skilled team in the delivery of high-quality services to business tenants and other stakeholders. He will also manage Unity Business Centre, Leeds Media Centre and Chapeltown Enterprise Centre on a day-to-day basis, and promote UE’s work locally, regionally and nationally.

Cedric Boston, Unity Homes and Enterprise chief executive, said: “Ben arrives with an impressive business background and a wealth of hands-on management experience. “He will head an award-winning team who have built strong relationships with business tenants, external partners and the local communities whose needs we proudly serve. “Ben understands the unique part UE plays in actively promoting entrepreneurship to individuals who are not generally encouraged by the social housing sector to embrace this route to career success. “I believe he will flourish in the role.”

Ben Nutt said: “I am thrilled to be joining UE which has an excellent reputation for empowering individuals and businesses to succeed in a competitive environment. “As well as helping established enterprises to grow, I will be working with colleagues to identify aspiring entrepreneurs in the community and provide whatever assistance we can to help them fulfil their business dreams.”

Notes to editors

About Unity Homes and Enterprise Unity Housing Association was formed in 1987 with the objective of building a strong, BME-led, community housing association to address the needs of black and minority ethnic communities in Leeds. The initial focus was on Chapeltown, but this has widened to other areas of the city including Harehills, Beeston, Holbeck, Chapel Allerton and Pudsey. Alongside two schemes in Huddersfield, a new affordable housing development has recently been completed in Cleckheaton. With a turnover of £6.8 million and an annual investment in new and existing homes of around £6.5 million, Unity now manages over 1,386 properties for tenants from all communities and ethnic backgrounds. In 2000 the association established its not-for-profit subsidiary company, Unity Enterprise, to support local entrepreneurial activity. It now provides 153 affordable business units for almost 100 diverse businesses which employ more than 1,250 people. Unity Employment Services (UES) was set up in 2011 to support Unity tenants and their surrounding communities in accessing employment and training opportunities. Over the past year, the team has helped 94 people into employment, 351 into training and eight into voluntary roles. 60 of those benefitting from the team’s help are Unity housing tenants. Since 2011, UES has supported a total of 3,131 people into employment and training.

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