THE company leading the £100m transformation of Sunderland has appointed a chief executive to drive forward its plans

John Seager joins the Sunderland City Council and Carillion joint venture company from his post as a director of UK Land Estates. During his 13 years with UKLE he was responsible for the development of schemes at Team Valley, Newburn Riverside and Newcastle City Centre and worked on a number of public-private partnerships which will be a key element of Siglion’s remit.

Mr Seager will be responsible for managing the development of five major sites including the former Vaux Breweries site, Seaburn and Chapel Garth.

Mr Seager said: “The post’s appeal was the opportunity to have such a huge impact on Sunderland.

“Some key, high profile sites are part of the portfolio and my experience to date means I can contribute to their transformation.

“It’s also a real opportunity to do something that will be personally rewarding. I’m aware of Igloo’s track record, core values and the way they approach development. It’s really inspiring stuff.”

Siglion will redevelop major sites in Sunderland in partnership with the private sector and the local community living and working in the area.

Mr Seager said: “The people at Siglion live and work in the region and we have a vested personal interest in seeing the success of these projects for many years to come.”

Mr Seager is directly employed by Igloo and seconded to Siglion as its chief executive.

Councillor Paul Watson, Leader of Sunderland City Council said: “Siglion offers an outstanding opportunity to bring about change through developments with the size and scale to create a permanent, positive impact on the city and the wider region. We warmly welcome John to his new role, and look forward to seeing the first steps of long-term regeneration in Sunderland through Siglion.”