Housing Moves: our round-up of senior sector appointments in February 2023

Insight14.03.2312.30 PM by Faima Bakar

Inside Housing’s monthly round-up of top-level housing sector appointments details the main moves in February 2023

Sophie Jones has been appointed head of people services at The Wrekin Housing Group

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Find out about the moves and appointments in social housing in February 2023 #UKhousing

Housing Moves compiles all the senior housing appointments in one place every month.

To tell us about your appointments, email gene.robertson@insidehousing.co.uk

Housing association and council moves

Dave Shaw has been appointed operations director – supported living at Sanctuary

Cath Farrell has joined Six Town Housing as chief executive. She replaces Sharon McCambridge, who is retiring.
Sanctuary has appointed Darryl Watton as its operations director – property services as of 1 February. He comes to the landlord from contractor Mitie, where he was customer experience director.
Sanctuary has also appointed Dave Shaw (pictured above) to the role of operations director – supported living. He has worked for Sanctuary since 2013, most recently as head of growth and business development. Mr Shaw replaces Sara Keetley, who is retiring.
Paul Sawrey has stepped into the newly created role of head of insurance at Platform Housing Group. He was previously insurance manager at Midland Heart.
Sophie Jones is now head of people services at The Wrekin Housing Group. She was previously associate director for people and organisational development at charity Rethink Mental Illness. Paul Birch previously held the position and has left to set up a consultancy.
Gentoo recently welcomed Peter Akers to the group as associate director of asset. Peter joins the group after four years at North Star Housing, where he was head of asset and property services.
Andy Tollett has joined Soha Housing in the newly created role of head of repairs and estates services. He was previously head of housing and property for Langley House Trust.
Anabel Palmer is now executive director of property development and partnerships at West Kent Housing Association. She was previously communities director at West Kent. Kate Flaherty previously held Ms Palmer’s position.
Annie Bailey is now head of people, organisational development and the workplace at Origin Housing. She previously worked for the UK Home Office as a senior HR business partner. She replaces Jamal Mannan, who is moving on to London & Partners to be director of people and talent.
Cross Keys Homes has appointed Steve Stanbury to its board. Mr Stanbury is director of internal audit at City, University of London.
Nick Beckett has been appointed as chair of Trivallis. He replaces outgoing chair Jonathan Huish.
Onward has welcomed three new people to its board: Tina Kokkinos, Diana Hampson and Karl Tupling. Ms Kokkinos was previously chief operating officer at a foreign exchange fintech start-up, Ms Hampson has been the director of estates and facilities at the University of Manchester since 1997, and Mr Tupling is retiring as the director of markets, partners and places at Homes England.
Gloucester City Homes appoints two new board members: Jesse Fajemisin and Dominique Sayce. Mr Fajemisin is executive director of operations at Sapphire Independent Housing and Ms Sayce is head of HR at Dyson.
WHG has welcomed Paul Baker as its new interim director of energy and programme management. He joins the organisation from Citizen, where he was director of asset management.
Sarah Ager is now assistant director of asset management and improvement at Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, taking over from Steve Greenhouse, who has retired. Ms Ager was previously interim head of asset management and compliance at Birmingham City Council.

Other moves

Lesley Chen Davison has been appointed chief operating officer at Telford Homes

The UK Green Building Council has appointed Smith Mordak as chief executive. They will take on the role on 1 June 2023, with a handover from Julie Hirigoyen, who will be standing down after more than eight years at the helm.
Charlotte Lee will become the Heat Pump Association’s new chief executive in April 2023. She is currently head of external affairs at NAPIT, a government-approved certification body.
Savills Affordable Housing Consultancy has welcomed experienced regulator Nick Atlay to the position of associate director. Mr Atlay joined the team in January after seven years at the Regulator of Social Housing.
Telford Homes has appointed Lesley Chen Davison (pictured above) as chief operating officer. She previously worked on East Village and Elephant Central for Delancey, where she was a senior director for 14 years.
Debra Constance, co-founder of Women in Social Housing (WISH), is set to step down from the role of chair after 20 years of service. Ms Constance will hand over to Tracey McEachran, who will be taking up the newly created role of president of WISH.