<p><span>Persimmon’s incoming new group chief executive Dean Finch is now expected to take up his post earlier than anticipated, the volume housebuilder announced today. </span><span></span></p> <p><span><span>The company said it noted National Express Group’s announcement that Finch, currently ceo of the business, would be leaving with effect from August 31. It was originally expected that Finch would begin at Persimmon at the end of the year. </span></span><span></span></p> <p><span><span><span class="xaj"><span>“Persimmon now expects that Dean will be able to take up his post as Persimmon ceo earlier than originally envisaged and anticipates confirming his start date shortly,” the housebuilder’s statement read. </span></span></span></span></p><p><span>Persimmon announced the appointment of Finch on June 24. He will succeed David Jenkinson, who revealed in February 2020 that he wished to step down once a suitable successor had been identified. </span></p><p><span>Finch has been the ceo of National Express since 2010, and prior to that he was group ceo of Tube Lines and group finance director and group chief operating officer at First Group, where he also held a number of other senior roles.</span><span> </span></p>