GREENSQUAREACCORD - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Board Member of the NHS Confederation Mental Health Network
- Chief Executive in January 2015 After 15 Years
Chris was appointed Look Ahead's chief executive in January 2015 after 15 years at the organisation, including time as both a director and deputy chief executive. He has extensive strategic experience of shaping care and support services, including the acquisition and integration of several specialist subsidiaries into a group structure.
Chris has more than 25 years' experience working in housing and social care, including research and campaigning on behalf of the National Housing Federation and in new business, policy, and communications for two London housing associations.
Chris has an unwavering focus on safeguarding, compliance and governance, and a strong personal commitment to championing the integration of care and support, health, and housing on a national level. He has previously chaired the National Housing Federation's Supported Housing Providers Forum and sat on their National Care and Support Advisory Group.
Since 2016, Chris has been a board member of the NHS Confederation Mental Health Network. He chairs their NHS mental health and housing sub-group and is also a member of the NHS mental health economic collaborative committee. In addition, Chris also sits on the board of trustees at the membership organisation, VODG.
Colin has an impeccable track record of leading organisational transformation, first in the financial sector and later in non-executive director roles within social housing and healthcare.
For nine years, Colin served as Chair of fellow housing association Citizen and worked with the Matrix Housing Partnership extensively in that role. In his commercial career, spanning more than three decades in both finance and aviation, Colin has built successful enterprises, grown employment opportunities and supported individuals with their career progression.
Colin is experienced in developing successful commercial and not-for-profit organisations to deliver social good whilst strengthening their financial and operational performance.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Chief Finance Officer at a University
Craig brings wide-ranging financial experience to GSA and has previously served on the Board of a housing association.
Craig is currently Chief Finance Officer at a University in the Midlands and sits on the Executive of the British Universities Finance Directors Group.
Prior to his current role, Craig was a Finance and Corporate Services Director for two social housing and care providers in the Midlands and was a Non-Executive Board Member and Chair of Audit Committee at Black Country Housing Group for six years up to September 2023.
Craig's career background is in the global professional services firms, including PwC and Deloitte, where he worked for 18 years and led finance projects across UK government and local public services. Craig advised on public procurement, commercial structures and social and economic infrastructure projects.
With a broad, varied and lengthy career in housing, David has a particular passion for customer service and property maintenance.
He has worked in property compliance for many years and is committed to ensuring that our homes and estates are safe places to live and work in.
David has a strong track record in managing significant change programmes and understands the need to listen to customers when agreeing on priorities and designing services.
He was a board member of GreenSquare and is keen to use his skills and experience to help colleagues at GreenSquareAccord develop and deliver great services to our residents in the local community.
David is our board member responsible for complaints under the Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code.
Gillian has a wealth of experience in social housing gained from more than three decades of working in the sector.
During her social housing career spanning longer than 35 years, Gillian has held a variety of roles including Housing Officer, Housing Services Manager, and Maintenance Services Manager.
Gillian's most recent role was Head of Planned Maintenance leading on asset strategies for property, compliance, estate improvements and carbon retrofit projects.
Gillian remains committed to social housing in her retirement making sure residents are heard, responded to, and have a safe, warm and decent space to call their home.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of People
- Head of HR for Pennon Group
Helen has a passion for creating a great place to work for employees.
She has extensive experience of leading large people and corporate services teams in both the retail and utilities sectors, with specialist experience in blending cultures and delivering people strategies in complex, multi-operational organisations.
Helen has worked in a variety of human resources roles including as an HR business partner, Head of HR and a number of HR project roles. Most recently, Helen was People Director at GreenSquare.
As Head of HR for Pennon Group, Helen was responsible for leading the people strategy for South West Water and Pennon Shared Services. She has also led a number of key international projects at B&Q including the introduction of international talent succession and the design of award-winning talent development programmes.
At GreenSquareAccord Helen is responsible for the delivery of the people strategy across the organisation, ensuring that people are kept at the heart of everything. She also oversees Technology, Business Performance and Transformation, Communications and Corporate Affairs.
Job Titles:
- Chief Finance Officer
- Member of the Board
Jo has held a number of finance director and chief executive roles in the health, housing and charity sectors over the past ten years. Most recently, Jo was Director of Finance and Transformation at St Monica Trust.
She is particularly passionate about social housing and is a non-executive on the boards at Abri and Heylo.
Jo started her career in London working with a social development consultancy. She then moved to Bristol and spent six years in PwC's public sector team. During that time, Jo trained as a chartered accountant and worked alongside a range of purpose-driven organisations working to make lives better for vulnerable people and communities.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Chair
- Senior Independent Director
John is an experienced non-executive director with extensive knowledge of the issues facing complex customer-facing organisations.
He brings in-depth experience in housing and community regeneration, gained through his executive roles and from having advised local authority bodies, government agencies and charitable trusts as a consultant.
John has served on the Whitefriars Housing Group Board, been Chair of West Mercia Homes, and Senior Independent Director and Chair of the Remunerations Committee on the Citizen Housing Board. He also serves on the Board of North Devon Homes.
Now retired from employed roles, John is passionate about pursuing opportunities to transform lives through mission-driven organisations.
As well as being Deputy Chair, John serves on both our Homes & Customer Experience and People & Culture Committees.
Maxine brings a wealth of knowledge to GreenSquareAccord gained through more than 30 years of senior operational experience in the housing, health and care sectors.
As Chief Operating Officer, Maxine oversees the delivery of the services within our Operations Directorate including repairs and maintenance, customer service, homes and communities, asset management and all care and support services.
Maxine is also responsible for ensuring compliance with the consumer standards set by the Regulator of Social Housing.
Maxine spent 10 years of her early career in housing before returning to the sector again in 2015 to take up the role of Executive Director of Care and Support at GreenSquareAccord. She also spent 12 years as an Executive Director in the NHS.
During her time at the NHS, Maxine worked in large complex organisations delivering acute, community and mental health services, where she led operational delivery, strategy, growth, service transformation and contracting.
As a Board member of the National Care Forum and a member of the National Housing Federation Health and Housing Group, Maxine is a well-established voice within the housing and care and support service sectors.
In 2022, Maxine was awarded an MBE in the Queen's New Year Honours list for services to health and social care.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Divisional Managing Director of the London
Phillip has been in the development industry for nearly 40 years.
He joined E C Harris and Partners, now the Arcadis Group, training as a quantity surveyor before moving to the Wimpey Group, where he spent nearly 30 years.
Wimpey merged with Taylor Woodrow in 2007, creating the UK's largest housebuilder. Phillip was appointed divisional managing director of the London and South East Division.
He then joined Countryside Partnerships in 2017 as the chief executive of the Housebuilding Division. In April 2021, Phillip was appointed chief executive of manufacturing and operations. He is now responsible for the development and delivery of the group strategy.
Ruth is passionate about the importance of housing and care and support services, having spent virtually her whole career working in and with housing associations.
A highly experienced chief executive and finance director, Ruth has held Chief Executive positions at Clarion Housing Group and Midland Heart, followed by two years as Group Chief Executive of GreenSquare. She has also held several senior finance positions.
Ruth has spearheaded major programmes to improve the service delivery of housing associations including the development of new corporate strategy, the transformation of financial and operational performance and the redesign and refocus of customer services.
Ruth is dedicated to ensuring that GreenSquareAccord is a brilliant landlord.
Job Titles:
- Director of Governance and Compliance at Catalyst Housing
- Executive Director of Governance
Sophie is a qualified solicitor and chartered company secretary.
Previously Director of Governance and Compliance at Catalyst Housing, Sophie has also worked for Sanctuary Group and the Homes and Communities Agency (now the Regulator of Social Housing).
At GreenSquareAccord she has responsibility for governance, risk and assurance, health and safety, and data protection.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Board Member of GreenSquare
- Non - Executive Director at PA Housing
Previously a Board member of GreenSquare, Susan brings vast experience in leading highly regulated, safety-critical, customer-facing organisations, to the Board of GreenSquareAccord.
A qualified chartered accountant, Susan was Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive at the General Medical Council (GMC), and Managing Director of GMC Services International Ltd.
She has also held senior roles at airport group, BAA and transport and logistics group, National Express.
Throughout her career, Susan has excelled in leadership roles in organisations that deliver exceptional service to the public, and within which personal integrity and a strong values set are essential to ensure public safety.
Susan is a non-executive director at PA Housing and London Marathon Events Ltd and has a particular interest in inspiring activity in under-represented groups.