Housing Moves: our round-up of senior sector appointments in December 2025
Inside Housing’s monthly round-up of top-level housing sector appointments details the main moves in December 2025
Inside Housing’s monthly round-up of top-level housing sector appointments details the main moves in December 2025 #UKhousingHousing 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
Onward Homes has chosen Sandy Livingstone to be its new chief executive. This is an internal hire for the housing association as Mr Livingstone was executive director of growth. He replaces Bronwen Rapley, who announced her retirement in the autumn following almost a decade in the role. Mr Livingstone joined Onward in 2017 as executive director of property.
Broadacres announced that Claire Townson will be taking on the chief executive role. This is a promotion from her current role as the housing association’s director of people, digital and communications, which she has held since 2023. Prior to that, Ms Townson was director of corporate services at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust. Lee Sugden had been in the top job on an interim basis since August 2025, following the departure of Gail Teasdale.
Peter Cogan has been appointed as the new group chief executive at Red Kite Community Housing. He will be joining from Watford Community Housing, where he is group head of operations. Mr Cogan previously held senior roles at Optivo and RHP. Susan Hickey has been serving as interim chief executive since the retirement of Trevor Morrow in April 2025.
Trust Housing Association has promoted Jackie McIntosh, currently director of assets and sustainability, to chief executive. She will take over in March from Rhona McLeod, who is retiring after a decade in the role.
Warrington Housing Association chief executive David Cummins will retire this year after almost 35 years in the sector. Recruitment has begun for his replacement, which is being overseen by chair Michele Scattergood.
In the latest appointment as part of its merger integration, SettleParadigm has hired Martin Medlycott to be chief information officer. Mr Medlycott joins from Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing, where he was chief information officer and data protection officer.
L&Q has promoted Sharon Burns to executive group director for customer services, replacing Matt Foreman. Ms Burns has been at the housing association for four years, most recently as customer service and revenue director. She was previously executive director of customer operations as Trafford Housing Trust, which was acquired by L&Q in 2019.
David Ball has been interim chief financial officer at Vivid since June 2025 and has now been appointed to the job permanently. He started when Duncan Brown left to join Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing. Mr Ball has been with the organisation since 2017 as head of finance, then director of finance.
Stephen Rosser has started as director of governance and assurance at care and support provider Look Ahead. He replaces Claire Luxton, who left to pursue a new career path as a counsellor, as well as interim governance work. Previously Mr Rosser was assistant director – governance and business assurance at Karibu Community Homes.
Ealing Council has appointed Tom Keaveney as head of building safety and compliance. Mr Keaveney joins from Lambeth Council, where he was health and safety manager.
Emma Tobin has started as head of specialist housing – retirement villages at Platform Housing Group. She joins from Anchor, where she was head of villages and independent living.
Kevin Bennett has been appointed to the newly created role of regional director at Housing Plus Group. Mr Bennett was chief executive of Welsh housing provider Tai Calon Community Housing.
Alison Muir has started as a board member and chair of the customer experience committee at Wandle. Ms Muir has more than 25 years’ experience in the sector, including as chief operating officer at Octavia, executive director of housing services at St Mungo’s and interim executive director of housing at Anchor.
Baroness Neate, former chief executive of housing charity Shelter, has joined the board of Abri. Baroness Neate stepped down from Shelter last year and previously headed up charity Women’s Aid. Investment banker Melanie Czarra is also joining the Abri board. Ms Czarra had senior roles at UBS, Mizuho and Lehman Brothers.
Other moves
Homes England has appointed five executive regional directors as part of its new operating model, which will come into effect in April. Vicky Savage, who was group director for development and sales at L&Q until August, will take on the regional director role for London and the East. The appointments also include Danielle Gillespie as executive regional director for the North West, Jo Nugent for the Midlands and Kate McBride for the South – all of whom currently hold positions within Homes England. Tom Bridges, a director at Arup and previously chief economy and regeneration officer at Leeds City Council, will take up the regional role for the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber.
Andy Roe, chair of the Building Safety Regulator, is among 34 people set to receive a peerage. He was nominated by prime minister Sir Keir Starmer. Lord Roe was formerly commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, overseeing the reforms following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, and an incident commander during the Grenfell Tower fire.
A number of people working in housing and homelessness have been in recognised in the 2026 New Years Honours List. These include: Stephen Charles Hedley, chief executive of Trinity Homeless Projects; Dwarampudi Rama Krishna Reddy, director of Homeless Housing; Catherine Francis, director of new towns, infrastructure and delivery at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government; and Paavan Popat, chief executive of TLC Care.
House builder Cala Group has announced Tom Nicholson as chief executive. He succeeds Kevin Whittaker, who had been in the role since 2018. Mr Nicholson has held a number of senior roles in the sector, including chief operating officer at Crest Nicholson.
Richard Petty has announced his retirement after leading the affordable housing business at JLL for 29 years. He will leave his role as head of UK residential valuation in March, and deputy head Lauren Hunt will take over the role.
Carolyn Lochhead will be leaving her role as director of external affairs at the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) at the end of January for a new role outside the sector. Ms Lochhead joined the organisation in 2021, having been head of communications and public affairs at Scottish Action for Mental Health. The SFHA is currently recruiting for a replacement.
Georgie Messent has started as a partner in the planning and environmental team at Trowers & Hamlins. Ms Messent was environmental, social and governance partner and head of environment and sustainability at Squire Patton Boggs.
National partnerships housing specialist Lovell has made four senior promotions: David Gough has been promoted to a newly created role of managing director of operations and commercial; James Duffett will take over Mr Gough’s role as managing director – South; Stuart Penn will be managing director for the central region; and Anthony Vagges will take over Mr Duffett’s role as regional managing director – South Wales and West.
Data intelligence company Housemark has appointed Mike Dougan as senior account manager for Scotland. Mr Dougan joined the organisation in December from Chartered Institute of Housing, where he was the engagement manager for Scotland.
National body Communities that Work has appointed four new board members: James Howell, director of partnerships at L&Q; Helen Phoenix, head of work and well-being at South Yorkshire Housing Association; Ellie Patience, head of employability partnership at the Housing Employment Network North East; and Tracey Walsh, head of employment and skills at the Torus Foundation.
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