The Board

Member
Mike Kay
Chair of the Board

Recently retired, Mike has spent the last 28 years in Social Housing, the last 20 years in executive positions.  A Chartered Building Surveyor he has over 45 years’ experience of property management and property development. Mike has substantial local knowledge and understanding, having worked for over 8 years as Chief Executive of Northampton Partnership Homes. Mike also has significant experience as a non-executive director, most recently as Chair of the ACIS Group for the last 6 years.

Member
Simon Brooksbank
Vice Chair

Simon has considerable experience in helping organisations use customer and market insight, research and data to create and deliver great customer experiences. Simon brings a breadth of private sector experience having lead customer intelligence and insight teams in Unilever, Thomas Cook, Reckitt Benckiser, Diageo and 2sisters.

His experience covers brand development and storytelling, marketing communications and strategy development. Simon is currently in a senior leadership role with the grocery retailer Morrisons. He has been a non-executive director at Johnnie Johnson Housing Trust (JJHT) – appointed to the board post their regulatory down grade to V3:G3 he chaired the performance committee and JJHT became the first housing association to move from V3:G3 to V1:G1.

Simon is currently a Non-Executive at Broadacres, the largest rural housing association. 

Committee: Board Effectiveness and People Committee

Member
Mona Shah
Chair of Audit and Risk Committee

Mona Shah began her career in the media sector after qualifying as an Accountant. She has over 18 years’ experience working in Housing and loves working for organisations that make a difference.

Mona joined Grand Union Housing Group four years ago where she is responsible for all the business service teams, including Finance, Governance, IT and Corporate Services. She has also worked in the insurance sector and has run her own travel business.

 

Member
Martin Lord

Martin has substantial local knowledge and understanding, having worked for 13 years as Chief Officer of Central and East Northamptonshire Citizens Advice. He has also worked as Head of Guidance at the Electoral Commission, leading a team of Electoral Administration and Political Finance experts. He is now Director of Citizens Advice Essex – the consortium of ten local Citizens Advice offices serving Essex, Southend and Thurrock.

His previous non-Executive experience includes chairship of the Anglian Water Customer Challenge panel advising on affordability and vulnerability matters, Chairship of Northampton Volunteering Centre and membership of Northamptonshire Health and Wellbeing Board.

Committee: Board Effectiveness and People Committee

Member
David Beale

David has significant experience in banking specifically treasury assets and capital markets, credit risk and risk governance, debt funding to the social housing and commercial real estate sectors.  He has held senior positions with Nationwide Building Society, Santander, Merrill Lynch and Standard and Poor’s. David is currently acting as a consultant to the financial sector.

Committee: Audit and Risk Committee

Jo Robinson
Chair of Board Effectiveness and People Committee

Following a 30-year career in social housing, Jo is now retired. Originally a Valuer, she was most recently responsible for governance, regulatory compliance and tenant involvement at a large housing association in the Southeast. Jo is a great supporter of customer involvement and the benefits this can bring to services, operations and strategy.

Jo is the Chair of our Board Effectiveness and People Committee.

Committee: Board Effectiveness and People Committee

Member
Kevin Edwards

Kevin is a Legal Director at a top 50 law firm and specialises in social housing law. With nearly 20 years of experience in the sector Kevin has worked within both the public and private sectors advising numerous national and regional housing associations and Local Authorities on their acquisitions, disposals and stock rationalisation, as well as providing training to clients and the wider social housing sector on legislation changes and best practice.  

Committee: Audit and Risk Committee

Member
Cheryl Armatrading

Cheryl has over 25 years’ experience working within the community professionally, as well as voluntarily. She is the Director of the Antoin Akpom Achievements Foundation, providing workshops for young people, challenging behaviours and changing lives. Cheryl is also on the leadership panel for The Violence Reduction Network Leicester and Charnwood and a Board member of The Violence Reduction Network.

She is a current member of the VRN (Violence Reduction Network) OPCC office Leicester and the Strategic Partnership Board OPCC Office Leicester.

Committee: Board Effectiveness and People Committee

Member
Gurmeet Singh Virdi
Gurmeet has over 30 years’ experience in housing having worked in senior roles in the public, private and charity sectors. Now retired and choosing to “give something back” Gurmeet sits on a couple of Boards to add value based on his extensive knowledge and experience.

Gurmeet is a Fellow of the CIH and continues to participate in regional committees. He is a change catalyst helping organisations grow, improve services, and meet their customer needs.

Committee: Audit and Risk Committee

Member
Helen McGregor

Helen McGregor brings 17 years of experience within the social housing sector with expertise in asset management & sustainability. She is a chartered member of the Chartered Institute of Housing and an associate member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. Helen’s recent career includes leadership roles at G15 organisation Notting Hill Genesis as Director of Asset Management and Director of Repairs. Prior to this Helen led the Asset Management service at Notting Hill Housing Housing Trust. Helen is now a Director for McGregor White Architects who specialise in design and delivery of sustainable homes for affordable housing providers.

Committee: Audit and Risk Committee