Housing Moves: our round-up of senior sector appointments in November 2025

Rachael Shimmin will start as the new chief executive of Anchor in January 2026. Ms Shimmin has spent almost 10 years as chief executive of Buckinghamshire Council and is chair of the Association of County Chief Executives network. Chief financial officer Amanda Holgate took up the chief executive role at Anchor on an interim basis after Sarah Jones stepped down in the summer. Anchor has also appointed Dan Ryan as executive director – care services and expanded Julie Wittich’s role to executive director – operations. Mr Ryan will join early next year from Methodist Homes, where he is deputy chief executive. Ms Wittich joined Anchor in June 2025 as executive director – property and assets, and was previously chief operating officer at Accent.

Kevin Bolt will join Platform Housing Group as interim chief executive in February 2026, as the landlord searches for a replacement for Elizabeth Froude. Mr Bolt headed up BPHA for nine years and most recently was interim chief executive at Octavia during its merger talks with Abri. Ms Froude will leave Platform in January to head up Sage Homes, the biggest for-profit housing provider in England.

Thrive Homes and Watford Community Housing (WCH) are proposing to merge, and have designated Thrive chief executive Paul Richmond as leader of the new organisation. After more than 18 years as chief executive of WCH, Tina Barnard will step down in June 2026 if the merger goes ahead. Mr Richmond originally joined Thrive Homes from WCH, where he was deputy chief executive, in December 2024. WCH has also appointed Hattie Llewelyn-Davies as chair designate ahead of the proposed merger. She is currently chair of Eastlight Community Homes and will join WCH in April 2026 to replace Chris Cheshire, who is stepping down after nine years.

Selwood Housing group chief executive Barry Hughes has announced his resignation after 20 years at the organisation. Mr Hughes will leave the role in May 2026 after the recruitment of his replacement and handover. 

Julia Mulloy is retiring as chief executive of Scottish Borders Housing Association after more than 16 years in the role. She plans to step down at the end of May 2026, following a transition period.

Keniston Housing Association has welcomed Peter Brown as the new chair of its board. He replaces Emma Keegan, who spent six years in the post. Mr Brown held five chief executive positions in his career, including at Connexus and Herefordshire Housing Group.

Serena Heathcote will join Thirteen as its new chief customer officer in February 2026. Ms Heathcote is currently director of customer experience at Metropolitan Thames Valley.

Gemma Parlby has started at Salix Homes in the newly created role of executive director of customer and landlord services. Previously Ms Parlby was group director of customer and communities at Bolton at Home.

Saxon Weald has announced Rachel McGoff will be its new executive director of finance and governance, replacing Michael Chinn. Ms McGoff will start in the role in March 2026. She joins Saxon Weald from The Guinness Partnership, where she is head of financial accounting and reporting.

Supported housing provider Look Ahead has hired Lauren Gable to be executive director of commercial and growth. Ms Gabel has held numerous director roles across NHS trusts, most recently as interim deputy chief finance officer at Great Ormond Street Hospital and chief finance officer at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Trust.

Katherine Proctor has started as assistant director of housing at City of York Council. Previously Ms Proctor was director of housing operations at Unity Homes & Enterprise.