<p>Crest Nicholson has appointed Tom Nicholson, Linden Homes’ divisional chairman, as its chief operating officer.</p> <p>Nicholson will immediately join Crest’s executive board, taking up his post at the end of May.</p> <p>He has more than 30 years’ experience in housebuilding, starting at Trafalgar House Group in 1987. He held land and sales roles at Ideal Homes and the Berkeley Group. </p> <p>And in 1996, he joined Try Homes as a land director where he spent 23 years, the company eventually becoming Galliford Try Group with Linden Homes its housing arm. Nicholson held a number of senior roles here and has been on the Galliford Try executive board for the past three years.</p> <p>Crest said the new recruit “brings the breadth of experience, industry understanding and operational expertise to help Crest and the existing executive team execute its revised strategy.”</p> <p>Nicholson will report directly to interim chief executive Chris Tinker until September when Peter Truscott - also from Galliford Try – takes up his ceo post.</p>