Former Wilson Connolly director John Weir this week returned to the housebuilding industry as a consultant to housing association Peabody Trust.
Weir has a six-month contract to help the trust compete with the private sector and establish itself as a provider of homes for sale.
The former Wilson Connolly director won a 拢52,600 payout from an employment tribunal in October that found that he had been unfairly dismissed by the housebuilder.
Richard McCarthy, chief executive of Peabody Trust, said Weir would join Peabody Enterprises, a subsidiary of the trust. He said he had been talking to him for some time and had now signed him up as a consultant to help deliver the private homes element in Peabody's mixed-tenure schemes.
He said: "We are looking forward to having the experience, professionalism and expertise that John brings to projects."
McCarthy added that it was possible Weir's contract might be extended after the initial six-month period.
Weir will initially focus on a 300-unit, mixed-tenure site in Ladbroke Grove, west London, designed by architect Piers Gough. The scheme includes 100 homes to be built for sale.
Weir, who has set up his own business, Haute Future, to provide design and marketing consultancy on sustainable housing, said his brief was "to establish Peabody in the private sale market".
He said: "It is fantastic to be working for a business where design is at the centre of the ethos, that is the UK's best sustainable housebuilder and that has great brand values. We want to transfer those qualities to the private sector."
Weir left Wilcon in April after troubled times at the housebuilder. Its pre-tax profit fell from 拢66.7m to 拢35m in 2001 and it responded with a management shake-up that included the departure of chief executive John Tutte.