40 Under 40: help us find the leaders who will shape the housing sector over the next 40 years
As Inside Housing celebrates its 40th anniversary, we want to identify and build the profile of the outstanding individuals who will shape the housing sector over the next 40 years. Editor Martin Hilditch sets out the ambitions of the publication’s new 40 Under 40 list
Why enter?
Promotion: Winners will be included in a campaign feature and promoted across all of Inside Housing’s channels.
Networking: Individuals on the 40 Under 40 list will have networking opportunities at this year’s Housing 2024 event in Manchester.
Sharing learning: We will highlight your achievements and expertise across a range of events and articles during the course of the year.
Shaping the future: Over the next year, Inside Housing will promote housing as a career of choice. We will consult with the winners to help shape the campaign and talk about the career options available in the sector.
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Inside Housing’s 40th anniversary has given us the chance to look back over four memorable decades of news, views and analysis.
But it also presents us with an opportunity to look forward. The world has changed dramatically since Inside Housing’s first edition in 1984. Tomorrow’s housing leaders have to address national commitments to decarbonize the housing stock – and also plan for a future affected by climate change. Most immediately, they will have to rise to the challenge of improving stock quality or delivering better-quality homes in the future.
Then there is the transformation that technological developments, such as AI, will bring to the world of work. This year, our annual survey of housing association risk registers placed cyber security and IT management at the top of the list.
And as a result of the way society is changing, customer expectations are changing too, leading to the sector exploring new options for resident influence, such as co-creation and co-production of services.
It has never been more important to shout about the importance of the housing sector and the many reasons why it is a great place to build and develop a career. Along with many other sectors, housing is in a battle to attract and retain the people with the skills it needs to plan for the future and deliver excellent services.
This is where our 40 Under 40 list comes into play.
Entry criteria
Please state in no more than 400 words why the individual you are nominating is doing exceptional work that deserves recognition. We are particularly interested in how they might be driving change and improvements in their area. Nominated individuals must be under 40 on 1 July 2024.
To find out more, and to nominate an individual, go to www.insidehousing.co.uk/40under40.
Entries must be in by midnight on Thursday 16 May.
We want to identify a diverse group of individuals from across the housing sector who are already delivering excellence in their field, or gaining the attention of their colleagues and peers because of the quality of their ideas. We are looking for people who are setting the standard, whether they are making waves in prominent roles or demonstrating exceptional promise. Our aim is to build a community of young leaders from a range of backgrounds, providing them with opportunities to network, share ideas and raise their profiles.
Inside Housing will also campaign on the important role the sector plays in society, looking at ways this can drive the recruitment and retention of the staff it needs to deliver on that crucial job. We will be consulting the individuals on our 40 Under 40 list to shape the campaign and promote housing as a career of choice.
This is where you come in. We need you to nominate individuals and colleagues you think are doing an amazing job, or whose ideas and innovative thinking deserve wider recognition. Who are the people whose vision, passion and dedication are what the sector needs more of?
We ask that you provide up to 400 words setting out why your nominee is doing exceptional work that deserves recognition. We are particularly interested in how they might be driving change and improvements in the area in which they specialise.
Ultimately, we will create a platform where people from a range of backgrounds can flag their ideas and performance, and that celebrates their talent. Over the course of the next year, we will be promoting each individual on the list, including in a special feature in print and digitally.
There will be networking opportunities at this year’s Housing 2024 event in Manchester in June, and we will also be providing chances to highlight achievements and expertise across a range of events and articles during the course of the next year.
If you know a future star of the housing sector, someone whose hard work and ideas deserve recognition, please send in your nomination today. Help us celebrate the sector’s diverse talent and showcase the sector’s bright future.
The future of housing starts here.
What the sector thinks
“Being values-driven and true to the core purpose of social housing will continue to be as important in the future as it is today.
Leaders with these qualities will help the sector make a positive difference to tenants and the communities they live in.”
Tracy Harrison, chief executive, Northern Housing Consortium
“This is a wonderful initiative to showcase the potential leaders of the housing sector in the future, as part of Inside Housing’s 40th anniversary. I am confident that the exercise would demonstrate that the talent pool is ethnically diverse, talented and able to steer the housing sector through the challenges that lie ahead.
“Personally, it would be great for people nominated to reflect not only the diversity of the housing sector, but colleagues that embrace the contrarian qualities of the early founders of social housing. The leaders of the future should not settle for consensus, but they should seek to be innovative, be flexible, and stay true to the primary purpose of social housing, which is to provide and manage good-quality homes for those that cannot afford it on the open market.
“We at Leadership 2025 are hoping the nominees’ list truly reflects the diversity of the housing sector at middle management and kick-starts effective measures to ensure that the leadership at senior level in the future is ethnically diverse, sooner rather than later, over the next 40 years.”
Olu Olanrewaju, chair, Leadership 2025
“As a sector, we help people make a home. So many of our staff are simply brilliant at making that a reality in the places where they work, across the country. There is so much good being done, but there is still a lot to do. Let’s celebrate that approach and attract more talent for tomorrow.”
Matthew Walker, chair, PlaceShapers
“The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations wholeheartedly supports the 40 Under 40 initiative as it aligns perfectly with our mission to champion diversity and excellence within the housing sector. By celebrating the talent and ideas of individuals from varied backgrounds, this initiative not only acknowledges their existing contributions, but also propels them onto a platform where their voices can influence the sector’s trajectory over the next four decades.
“To navigate the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, leaders will need a diverse set of skills, including adaptability, strategic thinking, empathy and a commitment to inclusivity.
“These leaders will not only shape the sector's landscape, but also inspire others to follow suit, ensuring sustainable and equitable housing solutions for generations to come.”
Louise Moules, director of operations and membership, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations
