Downtown London hires new executive director

Six months after the departure of its long-serving CEO, Downtown London has hired a new leader. 

Barbara Maly takes over top job at the organization on Feb. 24. 

Downtown London is a business association as well as a promoter of London's core. 

"I see this as an opportunity. I am looking forward to learning more about the members and the partners that Downtown London works with, and understand where the common elements are, where we all agree, and to understand how we can move forward," said Maly from Guelph, where she is the manager of economic development. 

She was recruited by the firm tasked with finding a successor for Janette MacDonald, who left Downtown London on August after 17 years at the helm. 

MacDonald left amid internal strife over how the organization was managed, with some groups of business owners unhappy with the representation they were getting. 

Working together

"I have a completely objective perspective because I haven't been there. I'm about moving forward, about getting to know the members, getting to know their perspective, and moving on," Maly said. 

Maly said she'll spend a while having coffee with different businesses to make sure she understands their needs. 

She said the downtown's social problems, including people sleeping rough in doorways and a growing opioid and mental health crisis, is not unique to London. 

"London is taking an active role to make sure there are social supports and close monitoring," she said. "I think we need to work together with the social system, to make sure that anyone who needs support has access to it and is able to access it. 

Maly will move into a downtown condo while she and her husband find a more permanent place to live in London. 

She has two adult children, one who has graduated from Fanshawe College and another who will start there in the fall. 

Maly grew up in the Chatham-Kent area.