Governance and board members
Our Board members have a wide range of skills and experience reflecting the size and strength of the business, the services we provide and our customers.
The Board
Housing associations (also called Registered Providers) are governed by their ‘rules’ which define our not-for-profit objectives, shareholding membership and constitute the Board as our governing body. Board members have a wide range of skills and experience reflecting the services we provide, our customers and the size and financial complexity and strength of the business.
We strive for a diverse board membership and currently, the Board of RHG currently has nine members; of which five are female and four are male with an average age of 50. Two of our members are registered disabled; seven identify as white British, one member is Asian British and one member is black Caribbean.
The biographies of the board members are available to view below.
Declarations of Interest for all Board Members and co-optees are held on a Register, which is reported on annually to Board, and is available for public scrutiny on request from the Company Secretary.
The Board’s role is to provide strategic direction, make sure that we are accountable and to support and advise.
Each association has a Board but the members combine their functions through a single governance meeting that is held six times during the year. In addition, the board members attend regular seminars, business planning and formal events. The Boards are committed to high standards of corporate governance and have adopted the National Housing Federation’s Code of Governance and good practice guidance.
Rooftop Housing Group Limited
The Group parent is a non-charitable Registered Society with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) (29661R). It is also a Registered Provider of social housing with the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) (L4404). It does not own any homes but provides all operational and corporate services, including treasury management, information technology and employs all human resources for the whole Group.
It was formed on 13 November 2003.
The shareholders of RHG comprise of the members of the parent board.
Board members - Rooftop Housing Group Ltd
Sally Higham
Chair - RHG
Sally Higham (Board Member of Rooftop Housing Group, Chair of Rooftop Housing Group and Chair of the Nominations and Performance Committee) – appointed 2021
Sally is a senior business leader with a strong sense of social purpose. She is a strategist committed to supporting start-ups, growth businesses, social housing, education, charities and social enterprises to grow and has significant experience in strategic advisory relationships across public, third and private sector organisations. She also has lived experience of growing up in social housing.
Sally is an experienced CEO, social housing Group NED Board member (previously at Aster Group and Bromford Housing) and holds current roles as Chair of Aequus (a BANES council company) and NED at ACH Refugee Integrated Services Provider. Previous roles include Chair of Risk Committee and member of Audit and Rem and Noms Committees; recent Chair of the Inspiring Impact Committee (a coalition of several UK charitable organisations and funded by the National Lottery Fund), current Advisory Member to the Growth Impact Fund; ex-charity Chair, and is a current and active volunteer in multiple community settings.
Sally supports and mentors entrepreneurs, particularly in the tech and social sectors, and is a guest lecturer at Bristol University on entrepreneur business courses, a mentor for the Alacrity Foundation, a regular conference speaker, panellist and ‘awards' judge.
She is Rooftop Group Chair and Chair of the Nominations and Performance Committee.
Myron Hrycyk
Vice Chair and SID
Myron Hrycyk – (Board Member of Rooftop Housing Group, Vice Chair of Rooftop Housing Group, Senior Independent Director, Chair of Remuneration Committee and Vice Chair of Nominations and Performance Committee) – appointed 2019
Myron gained an MBA, with honours in 2003 at Birmingham University and is a Chartered IT Professional (CITP).
Building on a highly successful career as one of the UK’s leading FTSE 100 CIO’s (Chief Information Officer) and Digital Transformation Executives, Myron founded his own business specialising in driving IT change and digital transformation for large corporate clients. Myron is a Non-Executive Director for a Midlands-based Building Society. Following seven successful years as a Cabinet Office Crown Representative managing HMG’s strategic relationship with three global technology providers he is now a Government Commissioner.
Myron has held CIO, CDO and senior IT posts for major organisations across a diverse range of business sectors, Financial Services, Publishing, Automotive and Logistics/Supply Chain. He has delivered strategic IT, Digital and business transformation programmes, re-structured corporate IT operating models and delivered multiple ERP solutions. Myron has also held the post of Chief Procurement Officer with a FTSE 100 Utility Business. While in this role he was an active member of the Midlands CBI Council.
In September 2024, Myron was appointed as Senior Independent Director, Vice Chair of Rooftop Housing Group along with Chair of Remuneration Committee and Vice Chair of Nominations and Performance Committee. He is the Board’s representative for Digital Transformation.
Daisy Halford
Chair of RHA
Daisy Halford (Board Member of Rooftop Housing Group and Rooftop Housing Association, Chair of Rooftop Housing Association) – appointed 2020
Daisy has lived in social housing since 2013 and became a Rooftop resident three years later with her husband and young son. She joined the Resident Excellence Panel, Rooftop’s independent scrutiny group, in 2016 to help shape and improve the services we deliver to our customers. Daisy was Chair of the Panel until she joined the Boards of Rooftop Housing Group and Rooftop Housing Association in September 2020. Passionate about social housing and the rights of residents, Daisy was part of the National Housing Federation’s “Together with Tenants” initiative created to support housing associations to play their part in rebalancing the relationship between residents and landlords.
A busy wife and mother, Daisy still manages to maintain an active presence in her community and chairs a local community group.
In January 2025, Daisy was appointed Chair of Rooftop Housing Association. She is also a member of the Nominations and Performance and Remuneration Committees and is the Board’s representative for the Customer Voice.
Lenna Cumberbatch-Nichols
Vice Chair - RHA
Lenna Cumberbatch-Nichols (Board Member of Rooftop Housing Group and Rooftop Housing Association, Vice Chair of Rooftop Housing Association) – appointed 2022
Lenna is a non-executive director, senior adviser, and consultant with national and international experience across healthcare, media, recruitment, technology, and higher education with lived experience of social housing.
Combining her MBA with her undergraduate degree in gender studies, Lenna takes organisations on a strategic change approach to diversity and inclusion. Lenna is the co-chair of LGBT+ anti-abuse charity, Galop and a facilitator in schools for anti-bullying charity Diversity Role Models. She is a Non-Executive Director on Ofcom’s Communication Consumer Panel & Advisory Committee for Older & Disabled People, and the Non-executive Director (Diversity, Inclusion & Respect) at recruitment firm Goodman Masson. For the Research Executive Agency at the European Commission Lenna audits, reviews and monitors multi-million Euro grant applications and projects as one of their team of experts. She has held roles at the Royal Society, the Wellcome Trust, and the University of Cambridge. Lenna’s speaking engagements have included the Council of Europe, BBC Scotland, and the Women of the World (WOW) festival. She keeps up her public speaking skills at her local Toastmasters Club.
Lenna is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, and is a member of the Chartered Management Institute.
Lenna is a member of the Nominations and Performance Committee and the Board’s representative for People, Culture and Diversity.
In January 2025, Lenna was appointed Vice Chair of Rooftop Housing Association.
Claire-Elaine Arthurs Payne
Chair of ARC
Claire-Elaine Arthurs Payne (Board Member of Rooftop Housing Group, Chair of Audit and Risk Committee and Vice Chair of Remuneration Committee) – appointed 2019
Claire-Elaine is a Solicitor who specialises in risk management and resolution of property-related disputes. She is also a Chartered Manager, CEDR Accredited Mediator and dual qualified as a Business Strategy Consultant, Corporate Facilitator and Executive Coach.
She has a passion for problem-solving and a long history of working with Social Housing Providers, Developers and Private Landlords. Claire-Elaine holds a BAHons in Cultural Studies and Sociology from the University of Birmingham and undertook her postgraduate GDL and LPC legal training at the University of Law in Birmingham. She studied Business at Warwick University and the De Broc School of Business and holds an MSc in Strategic Business Management among other qualifications.
Claire-Elaine is currently a Partner with challenger law firm, Gunnercooke LLP and Managing Director of Orthelian Business Consultancy. As well as managing a national property dispute resolution team, she supports Executives and Boards in the development of their Leadership and Management skills. She also sits as a Judge in the First-tier Tribunal Property Chamber.
Claire-Elaine is the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee and is Vice Chair of the Remuneration Committee. In January 2025, she was appointed as the Member Responsible for Complaints.
Alykhan Meghani
Vice Chair of ARC
Alykhan Meghani (Board Member of Rooftop Housing Group and Rooftop Housing Association, Vice Chair of Audit and Risk Committee) – appointed 2024
Alykhan is currently Deputy Chief Financial Officer at Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing (MTVH) with a diverse property portfolio of over 57,000 units owned or managed. In his role, Alykhan provides strategic financial management, business partnering, commercial and development finance support across the organisation ensuring financial sustainability and fostering delivery of wider social purpose.
Prior to MTVH, Alykhan worked as Financial Controller at Wates Developments, a residential developer, steering financial modelling across the land and development pipeline and was an integral Board member of several Joint Venture entities with listed house builders during that time. Between 2006-2016, Alykhan held senior finance roles in the real estate and financial services sectors including private equity backed organisations and family offices with a particular focus on shaping long-term strategic planning and embedding robust risk management practices. He is a qualified accountant having joined the Rolls-Royce Plc Graduate programme and holds a BSc Economics from Warwick University.
Alykhan has a natural affinity and interest to make a difference in the social housing sector and is currently also a member of the Audit and Risk Committee at Watford Community Housing.
In January 2025, Alykhan was appointed Vice Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee.
Wayne Harris
Wayne Harris (Board Member of Rooftop Housing Group and Rooftop Housing Association) – appointed 2022
Wayne brings a wealth of experience in social housing gained in senior roles over the last 33 years and is particularly passionate about sustainable development and the decarbonisation journey for existing homes. He has been invited to speak at a number of conferences on asset management. Wayne also spent eight years as a volunteer outreach worker walking the streets of South Wales providing assistance to people with life controlling problems.
Wayne is a recently retired architect who spent his early professional career in private practice designing retail centres, industrial / manufacturing facilities, schools and private housing before moving into the social housing sector in 1992. Since that time, he has held a number of roles managing assets, repairs and maintenance, delivery of new housing and some care services. Employers have included three councils, a newly formed stock transfer housing association and most recently a traditional housing association called Pobl Group - Wales largest social housing provider. Previous non-executive experience was gained at Accent Housing Group.
Married with two children and living in Gloucestershire he likes walking with his Labrador and in good weather riding an old motorcycle.
Wayne is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee and the Board’s representative for Development, Investment and Sustainability and Repairs and Operations.
Richard Newton
Richard Newton (Board Member of Rooftop Housing Group and Rooftop Housing Association) – appointed 2025
Richard is an energetic and passionate values-led business leader and qualified accountant, with extensive experience in Board level positions within the complex regulatory environment of financial services. He was Chief Executive of a regional building society for 10-years, and prior to that Finance Director during a career spanning over 30-years at the same mutual business; he retired from executive life in 2024.
Richard has compassion and care for individuals and teams, fostering a collaborative and supportive culture, whilst setting and expecting high standards, with a customer focus and strong belief in doing the right thing.
He has a family first ethos, supporting his wife with her own career, and watching their 3 grown girls’ flourish. He is a keen cyclist and enjoys general fitness and watching F1.
Richard is also a member of the Audit and Risk Committee.
Ciara McMillan
Ciara McMillan (Board Member of Rooftop Housing Group and Rooftop Housing Association) – appointed 2025
Ciara McMillan is an accomplished strategic leader with 20 years of experience driving innovation and transformation in the housing and local government sectors. Known for her expertise in change management, stakeholder engagement, and customer-centric strategies, Ciara has consistently delivered high-impact initiatives, including digital inclusion programs, service redesigns, and large-scale housing transformation projects.
Ciara has held a variety of senior roles across the housing sector, focusing on neighbourhood management, community engagement, and technology-driven change. Her accomplishments include leading projects that developed self-service digital platforms, redesigned housing services to align with customer needs, and implemented data-driven strategies to improve service delivery. She has also driven cost efficiencies, such as reducing annual costs through service redesign, and has managed complex projects with substantial budgets. She is currently serving as Account Director at Crimson, a digital transformation consultancy and IT recruitment company.
Ciara was previously a Non-Executive Director at Futures Housing Group for six years chairing the Customer Insight Committee and was the Member Responsible for Complaints. Her leadership and deep understanding of the housing sector enable her to champion customer insight and innovation effectively.
Ciara holds an MBA from Derby University and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Housing. Her extensive experience, combined with a passion for improving customer outcomes and delivering value-driven solutions, makes her a trusted advisor and an influential leader in the housing sector.
Ciara is a member of the Remuneration Committee and is the Board’s representative for Health and Safety.
Rooftop Housing Association (RHA)
Until 2014, RHA was known as Evesham and Pershore Housing Association (EPHA).
RHA is a Registered Society with the FCA (27786R) and is also a Registered Provider of social housing with the RSH (LH4050).
RHA was initially established as an asset holding non-charitable body in 1994 to take a transfer of 4020 homes from Wychavon District Council in Worcestershire. RHA converted to charitable status in 2003 and provides all of the housing held by the Group. The shareholders of RHA include the parent, RHG and current board members.
Board members - Rooftop Housing Association
Daisy Halford
Chair of RHA
Daisy Halford (Board Member of Rooftop Housing Group and Rooftop Housing Association, Chair of Rooftop Housing Association) – appointed 2020
Daisy has lived in social housing since 2013 and became a Rooftop resident three years later with her husband and young son. She joined the Resident Excellence Panel, Rooftop’s independent scrutiny group, in 2016 to help shape and improve the services we deliver to our customers. Daisy was Chair of the Panel until she joined the Boards of Rooftop Housing Group and Rooftop Housing Association in September 2020. Passionate about social housing and the rights of residents, Daisy was part of the National Housing Federation’s “Together with Tenants” initiative created to support housing associations to play their part in rebalancing the relationship between residents and landlords.
A busy wife and mother, Daisy still manages to maintain an active presence in her community and chairs a local community group.
In January 2025, Daisy was appointed Chair of Rooftop Housing Association. She is also a member of the Nominations and Performance and Remuneration Committees and is the Board’s representative for the Customer Voice.
Lenna Cumberbatch-Nichols
Vice Chair - RHA
Lenna Cumberbatch-Nichols (Board Member of Rooftop Housing Group and Rooftop Housing Association, Vice Chair of Rooftop Housing Association) – appointed 2022
Lenna is a non-executive director, senior adviser, and consultant with national and international experience across healthcare, media, recruitment, technology, and higher education with lived experience of social housing.
Combining her MBA with her undergraduate degree in gender studies, Lenna takes organisations on a strategic change approach to diversity and inclusion. Lenna is the co-chair of LGBT+ anti-abuse charity, Galop and a facilitator in schools for anti-bullying charity Diversity Role Models. She is a Non-Executive Director on Ofcom’s Communication Consumer Panel & Advisory Committee for Older & Disabled People, and the Non-executive Director (Diversity, Inclusion & Respect) at recruitment firm Goodman Masson. For the Research Executive Agency at the European Commission Lenna audits, reviews and monitors multi-million Euro grant applications and projects as one of their team of experts. She has held roles at the Royal Society, the Wellcome Trust, and the University of Cambridge. Lenna’s speaking engagements have included the Council of Europe, BBC Scotland, and the Women of the World (WOW) festival. She keeps up her public speaking skills at her local Toastmasters Club.
Lenna is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, and is a member of the Chartered Management Institute.
Lenna is a member of the Nominations and Performance Committee and the Board’s representative for People, Culture and Diversity.
In January 2025, Lenna was appointed Vice Chair of Rooftop Housing Association.
Wayne Harris
Wayne Harris (Board Member of Rooftop Housing Group and Rooftop Housing Association) – appointed 2022
Wayne brings a wealth of experience in social housing gained in senior roles over the last 33 years and is particularly passionate about sustainable development and the decarbonisation journey for existing homes. He has been invited to speak at a number of conferences on asset management. Wayne also spent eight years as a volunteer outreach worker walking the streets of South Wales providing assistance to people with life controlling problems.
Wayne is a recently retired architect who spent his early professional career in private practice designing retail centres, industrial / manufacturing facilities, schools and private housing before moving into the social housing sector in 1992. Since that time, he has held a number of roles managing assets, repairs and maintenance, delivery of new housing and some care services. Employers have included three councils, a newly formed stock transfer housing association and most recently a traditional housing association called Pobl Group - Wales largest social housing provider. Previous non-executive experience was gained at Accent Housing Group.
Married with two children and living in Gloucestershire he likes walking with his Labrador and in good weather riding an old motorcycle.
Wayne is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee and the Board’s representative for Development, Investment and Sustainability and Repairs and Operations.
Alykhan Meghani
Vice Chair of ARC
Alykhan Meghani (Board Member of Rooftop Housing Group and Rooftop Housing Association, Vice Chair of Audit and Risk Committee) – appointed 2024
Alykhan is currently Deputy Chief Financial Officer at Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing (MTVH) with a diverse property portfolio of over 57,000 units owned or managed. In his role, Alykhan provides strategic financial management, business partnering, commercial and development finance support across the organisation ensuring financial sustainability and fostering delivery of wider social purpose.
Prior to MTVH, Alykhan worked as Financial Controller at Wates Developments, a residential developer, steering financial modelling across the land and development pipeline and was an integral Board member of several Joint Venture entities with listed house builders during that time. Between 2006-2016, Alykhan held senior finance roles in the real estate and financial services sectors including private equity backed organisations and family offices with a particular focus on shaping long-term strategic planning and embedding robust risk management practices. He is a qualified accountant having joined the Rolls-Royce Plc Graduate programme and holds a BSc Economics from Warwick University.
Alykhan has a natural affinity and interest to make a difference in the social housing sector and is currently also a member of the Audit and Risk Committee at Watford Community Housing.
In January 2025, Alykhan was appointed Vice Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee.
Richard Newton
Richard Newton (Board Member of Rooftop Housing Group and Rooftop Housing Association) – appointed 2025
Richard is an energetic and passionate values-led business leader and qualified accountant, with extensive experience in Board level positions within the complex regulatory environment of financial services. He was Chief Executive of a regional building society for 10-years, and prior to that Finance Director during a career spanning over 30-years at the same mutual business; he retired from executive life in 2024.
Richard has compassion and care for individuals and teams, fostering a collaborative and supportive culture, whilst setting and expecting high standards, with a customer focus and strong belief in doing the right thing.
He has a family first ethos, supporting his wife with her own career, and watching their 3 grown girls’ flourish. He is a keen cyclist and enjoys general fitness and watching F1.
Richard is also a member of the Audit and Risk Committee.
Ciara McMillan
Ciara McMillan (Board Member of Rooftop Housing Group and Rooftop Housing Association) – appointed 2025
Ciara McMillan is an accomplished strategic leader with 20 years of experience driving innovation and transformation in the housing and local government sectors. Known for her expertise in change management, stakeholder engagement, and customer-centric strategies, Ciara has consistently delivered high-impact initiatives, including digital inclusion programs, service redesigns, and large-scale housing transformation projects.
Ciara has held a variety of senior roles across the housing sector, focusing on neighbourhood management, community engagement, and technology-driven change. Her accomplishments include leading projects that developed self-service digital platforms, redesigned housing services to align with customer needs, and implemented data-driven strategies to improve service delivery. She has also driven cost efficiencies, such as reducing annual costs through service redesign, and has managed complex projects with substantial budgets. She is currently serving as Account Director at Crimson, a digital transformation consultancy and IT recruitment company.
Ciara was previously a Non-Executive Director at Futures Housing Group for six years chairing the Customer Insight Committee and was the Member Responsible for Complaints. Her leadership and deep understanding of the housing sector enable her to champion customer insight and innovation effectively.
Ciara holds an MBA from Derby University and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Housing. Her extensive experience, combined with a passion for improving customer outcomes and delivering value-driven solutions, makes her a trusted advisor and an influential leader in the housing sector.
Ciara is a member of the Remuneration Committee and is the Board’s representative for Health and Safety.
Rooftop Homes Limited (RHL)
RHL was formed as a housing association on 13 November 2003. In March 2020, RHL transferred its assets and liabilities to RHA and is now classified as a dormant, non-asset holding company, non-charitable Registered Society (29660R).
Rooftop Management Limited (RML)
RML is registered with Companies House (3569438) and is a dormant company wholly owned by Rooftop Housing Group Limited. It has not traded during the year and is expected to remain dormant for the foreseeable future.
Audit and Risk Committee
The Audit and Risk Committee is responsible for providing the Boards with assurance and assisting them to fulfil their responsibilities, bringing independent scrutiny, challenge and exercising oversight to:
- financial reporting, including the integrity and appropriateness of financial statements
- risk management processes and frameworks
- internal and external audit functions
- compliance, whistleblowing, fraud, anti-bribery, asset and liability registers and stress testing
Membership includes an Independent Member (who does not sit on the Boards) to bring additional external scrutiny and challenge.
Audit and Risk Committee Members
Claire-Elaine Arthurs Payne
Chair of ARC
Claire-Elaine Arthurs Payne (Board Member of Rooftop Housing Group, Chair of Audit and Risk Committee and Vice Chair of Remuneration Committee) – appointed 2019
Claire-Elaine is a Solicitor who specialises in risk management and resolution of property-related disputes. She is also a Chartered Manager, CEDR Accredited Mediator and dual qualified as a Business Strategy Consultant, Corporate Facilitator and Executive Coach.
She has a passion for problem-solving and a long history of working with Social Housing Providers, Developers and Private Landlords. Claire-Elaine holds a BAHons in Cultural Studies and Sociology from the University of Birmingham and undertook her postgraduate GDL and LPC legal training at the University of Law in Birmingham. She studied Business at Warwick University and the De Broc School of Business and holds an MSc in Strategic Business Management among other qualifications.
Claire-Elaine is currently a Partner with challenger law firm, Gunnercooke LLP and Managing Director of Orthelian Business Consultancy. As well as managing a national property dispute resolution team, she supports Executives and Boards in the development of their Leadership and Management skills. She also sits as a Judge in the First-tier Tribunal Property Chamber.
Claire-Elaine is the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee and is Vice Chair of the Remuneration Committee. In January 2025, she was appointed as the Member Responsible for Complaints.
Alykhan Meghani
Vice Chair of ARC
Alykhan Meghani (Board Member of Rooftop Housing Group and Rooftop Housing Association, Vice Chair of Audit and Risk Committee) – appointed 2024
Alykhan is currently Deputy Chief Financial Officer at Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing (MTVH) with a diverse property portfolio of over 57,000 units owned or managed. In his role, Alykhan provides strategic financial management, business partnering, commercial and development finance support across the organisation ensuring financial sustainability and fostering delivery of wider social purpose.
Prior to MTVH, Alykhan worked as Financial Controller at Wates Developments, a residential developer, steering financial modelling across the land and development pipeline and was an integral Board member of several Joint Venture entities with listed house builders during that time. Between 2006-2016, Alykhan held senior finance roles in the real estate and financial services sectors including private equity backed organisations and family offices with a particular focus on shaping long-term strategic planning and embedding robust risk management practices. He is a qualified accountant having joined the Rolls-Royce Plc Graduate programme and holds a BSc Economics from Warwick University.
Alykhan has a natural affinity and interest to make a difference in the social housing sector and is currently also a member of the Audit and Risk Committee at Watford Community Housing.
In January 2025, Alykhan was appointed Vice Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee.
Wayne Harris
Wayne Harris (Board Member of Rooftop Housing Group and Rooftop Housing Association) – appointed 2022
Wayne brings a wealth of experience in social housing gained in senior roles over the last 33 years and is particularly passionate about sustainable development and the decarbonisation journey for existing homes. He has been invited to speak at a number of conferences on asset management. Wayne also spent eight years as a volunteer outreach worker walking the streets of South Wales providing assistance to people with life controlling problems.
Wayne is a recently retired architect who spent his early professional career in private practice designing retail centres, industrial / manufacturing facilities, schools and private housing before moving into the social housing sector in 1992. Since that time, he has held a number of roles managing assets, repairs and maintenance, delivery of new housing and some care services. Employers have included three councils, a newly formed stock transfer housing association and most recently a traditional housing association called Pobl Group - Wales largest social housing provider. Previous non-executive experience was gained at Accent Housing Group.
Married with two children and living in Gloucestershire he likes walking with his Labrador and in good weather riding an old motorcycle.
Wayne is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee and the Board’s representative for Development, Investment and Sustainability and Repairs and Operations.
Richard Newton
Richard Newton (Board Member of Rooftop Housing Group and Rooftop Housing Association) – appointed 2025
Richard is an energetic and passionate values-led business leader and qualified accountant, with extensive experience in Board level positions within the complex regulatory environment of financial services. He was Chief Executive of a regional building society for 10-years, and prior to that Finance Director during a career spanning over 30-years at the same mutual business; he retired from executive life in 2024.
Richard has compassion and care for individuals and teams, fostering a collaborative and supportive culture, whilst setting and expecting high standards, with a customer focus and strong belief in doing the right thing.
He has a family first ethos, supporting his wife with her own career, and watching their 3 grown girls’ flourish. He is a keen cyclist and enjoys general fitness and watching F1.
Richard is also a member of the Audit and Risk Committee.
Andrew Palmer
Independent Member
Andrew Palmer (Independent Member of the Audit and Risk Committee) – appointed 2024
Andrew is a fellow member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. With more than 18 years’ senior management experience in the housing sector, he has an acute view of the challenges the sector faces and brings enthusiasm and creativity to the Committee and is passionate about providing quality and efficient services to customers.
Andrew is currently employed as an Executive Director of Finance for Aspire Housing and is the lead for Finance, Governance and Risk in the executive role. He holds a strong positive record of business transformation and modernisation of processes. Before joining Aspire, he worked for Walsall Housing Group for a number of years with responsibility for a large Finance Team.
Andrew is not a member of the Group or subsidiary Boards. His role as Independent Member of the Audit and Risk Committee is to bring an additional level of external challenge and scrutiny to the matters under consideration by the Committee.
Andrew enjoys walking his dog, socialising with friends and spending time with his wife and daughter.
.png)
