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Housing Moves: our round-up of senior sector appointments in September 2025
Inside Housing’s monthly round-up of top-level housing sector appointments details the main moves in September 2025
Inside Housing’s monthly round-up of top-level housing sector appointments details the main moves in September 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
Bronwen Rapley has announced her retirement after almost a decade at the helm of Onward Homes. Ms Rapley has also served on the board of the National Housing Federation, the Northern Housing Consortium and more recently as chair of the Homes for the North alliance.
Claire McGonigle has been promoted to chief executive of Framework Housing Association, from her previous role as deputy chief executive. She replaces Andrew Redfern on his retirement.
Dawn Clark has been chosen as the new chief executive of Castles & Coasts, promoted from her current role as the organisation’s housing services director. She replaces Stephanie Murphy, who is retiring after two decades leading the organisation.
Arches Housing has promoted John Hudson to chief executive. Mr Hudson joined Arches in 2017 as director of operations, and will replace Paul Common on his retirement in March 2026.
Connexus has confirmed Anne Turner as the new chair of its board, succeeding Michele Ibbs, who has completed a three-year term in the role. Ms Turner retired from her role as chief operating officer at Orbit Group in 2016.
Des Hudson is the new chair of Ongo, succeeding Bob Walder, who is stepping down after nine years. Mr Hudson was previously chair of The Wrekin Housing Group and chief executive of the Law Society.
Hightown has appointed Mark Farrar as its new chief financial officer, who will take up the role in November following the retirement of David Skinner. He joins the association from Origin Housing, where he is executive director of finance, technology, data and change.
Matt Foreman will be the new chief customer officer at Great Places, leaving his role as executive group director for customer services at L&Q. He will make the move in March 2026, or when a successor has been appointed.
Brian Nearney has been promoted to chief development officer at Orbit, a newly created role. Previously Mr Neary was Orbit’s regional managing director for the Midlands and South.
RHP has announced two new executive director appointments: Emma Prince replaces Corinna Bishopp as executive director of finance, and Suzanne Maguire replaces Argiri Papathos as executive director of corporate services. Ms Prince joins from SES Water, where she was group finance director, and Ms Maguire from Amplius, where she was director of governance and risk.
Moat has made three new senior appointments: Garry Knights is the new executive director of property and assets, making the move from Flagship where he was director of strategic asset management. David Betteridge has been appointed as executive director of governance and compliance, coming from Aster where he was governance and risk director. And Graham Swanton is director of customer and insight, coming from L&Q where he was head of strategic housing and operations
Tracy Tallant, Vico Homes’ strategic director of people and culture, is retiring following more than 20 years with the organisation.
Andreas Stepanous has started as Magenta Living’s new finance director. He joins from telecoms company PXC, where he was finance director.
Yemi Aladerun has been announced as head of development at the London Borough of Ealing. She was previously head of development – Meridian Water at Enfield Council.
Other moves
Emma Palmer, chief executive of Eastlight Community Homes, has been appointed as the UK government’s disability and access ambassador for housing. Ms Palmer is also on the board of A2Dominion.
Ian Shapiro has started as the new chief executive officer of the Building Research Establishment (BRE). He joins following seven years as chief executive of non-profit Reall. He succeeds Gillian Charlesworth, who has led BRE for six years and is retiring from full-time work.
Leann Hearne, former chief executive of Livv Housing Group, has joined ARK Housing Consultancy as an associate director.
Legal & General has appointed Shaun Holdcroft as head of the affordable homes division, replacing Ben Denton. Mr Holdcroft has been with the business since its formation in 2018, most recently as chief growth officer.
Darren Jesse has joined Winckworth Sherwood as the new chief operations officer, following the retirement of Adrian Bourne. Mr Jesse joins after 16 years at Kingsley Napley, most recently as chief finance and operations officer.
Shahi Islam, director of affordable housing at Homes England, has joined the board of the Mayor of London’s Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation. He is one of five senior sector figures appointed to the board: Alexander Jan, chief economic advisor to the London Property Alliance, Alison Dowsett, former managing director of policy and planning at Berkeley Group, Eleanor Young, director at Blackstock Partnership and Sarah McCready, director of social infrastructure and communications at Barking Riverside.
Sustainability for Housing, which oversees the Sustainability Reporting Standard for Social Housing, has appointed Jon Turner, chief executive of Link Group, to its board.
Rosemary Du Rose, chief executive of Beyond Housing, has been appointed as vice-chair of the York and North Yorkshire Housing Partnership. She takes over from Gail Teasdale, who stepped down in the summer, and will work alongside chair Nick Atkin, who is also chief executive of Yorkshire Housing.
Susie Rogers, partner at Capsticks, has been announced as the firm’s head of housing.
Social housing consultancy DTP has appointed two new consultants: Muhammad Akhtar, who was previously manager of treasury operations at Southern Housing, and Stewart Hulme, who was an audit senior manager at BDO.
Real estate developer Dominus has announced two new senior hires ahead of the launch of its student housing platform in 2026. John Blanshard has joined as the director of PBSA, with Sarah Reynolds appointed as PBSA operations director.
Leasehold property management company ELM has brought on Maria Bevan as head of estates. Ms Bevan most recently spent seven years as regional property manager at Orbit Group.
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