Fusion Group has paid tribute to co-founder and chairman Nigel Henry who passed away peacefully on 7 February, surrounded by his family.
Henry co-founded Fusion in 2007 with Warren Rosenberg, subsequently launching the Fusion Students brand and creating the Fusion Group. The company has delivered more than 6,000 beds and has amassed a secured pipeline worth £2.2bn in GDV that will deliver more than 11,000 prime PBSA beds across London and the UK.
Henry stepped back as CEO of the group in September 2025 taking on the new role of chairman. He handed over the reins of the business to Richard Pilkington, a friend and business partner he had become close to over a number of years.
He was a business mentor for younger companies, a trustee for charities including Kisharon Langdon and Bright Futures, and he spent a substantial amount of his free time giving back to others and helping projects that have a lasting, meaningful impact on people’s lives.
In a statement, the company said: “Nigel was a leader in every aspect of his life. From the business he co-founded and built and the industry he shaped, to his devotion to his family, friends, and the charitable endeavours that he championed with endless energy and enthusiasm. He co-founded the Fusion Students brand in 2012 and only stepped back as CEO in September 2025 – Nigel built a business in Fusion that shaped an industry and became a true family.”
Pilkington added: “Nigel personified the values and culture that led to the spirit of Fusion today. He led with optimism, humour and a conviction that the best things are built together. Nigel positioned Fusion and our team for the future, and now we are entrusted to deliver on his legacy. He will be deeply missed, and we as a team will find it hard to move on, but as the man himself was so fond of saying: ‘onwards and upwards, keep smiling.”
Henry leaves behind his wife Reva, his three children Sophie, Emma and Ben, and six grandchildren.
