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Governance

About the management board

The Board at Sapphire oversees the strategic direction of the Association and all members combine the role with other jobs and professional commitments while complying with the National Housing Federation‘s code “Excellence in Governance”.

Sir Steve Bullock

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Steve chairs the Housing and Finance Institute think tank and is the independent chair of both the London Borough of Sutton’s Housing ALMO and its Housing Development company. Steve led for the London Boroughs on Housing for 8 years up to 2018 and served on the Mayor of London’s Homes for Londoners Board.

Steve was the elected Mayor of the London Borough of Lewisham from 2002 to 2018 and now works as a writer and facilitator. He co-wrote a review for the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham on what happened during and following the fire at Samuel Garside House. Most recently he was the lead author of “a Councillor's Guide to Leading the Homelessness Sector” commissioned by the Local Government Association

Catherine Ryder

Catherine joined the Board in September 2019. Catherine is Director of Policy and Research at the National Housing Federation. Prior to this role, she was Head of Policy, with a particular interest in supported housing, welfare and the Social Housing Green Paper.

Catherine also heads up the Federation’s Together with Tenants project. She has previously worked as Advisor to the Chief Executive at the Federation and recently spent some time working on economic development and housing at Coast to Capital – a Local Enterprise Partnership in Surrey and Sussex.

Reginald Parkinson

Reginald joined the Board in May 2021 with over 23 years' social housing and charity sector experience, 18 of these at senior leadership level. Reginald is CEO at Age UK Ealing and prior to this role, he was CEO at YMCA North London and before that YMCA Slough.

He has particular interest in turning strategic plans into practical and valued community services.

Sandra Nwajiaku

Sandra joined the Board in July 2021. Sandra is a finance professional with over 20 years of experience across a wide variety of sectors, the last 12 years at The Crown Estate as the Lead Business Partner building effective relationships with leadership teams and driving change to meet corporate objectives. Aligned to this I have a keen interest in the social housing sector and the programme of affordable housing alongside the development of robust and inclusive community programmes

Clive Stuart

Clive joined the Board in 2021 following a 6-year term at CCHA. Clive has transitioned from a corporate career in large Construction related businesses, as an Executive Director in commercial Finance and Strategic Business Development roles, to build a business portfolio of: Management Consultancy and Coaching for SME businesses in the construction sector, particularly in strategic business leadership & people development programmes; and Non-exec roles in NfP and commercial organisations. Clive has a life-long interest in the built environment and promotes Construction Excellence & efficiency to deliver VFM and sustainable building developments. He consults with Construction leaders sharing this vision

Charles Culling

Charles joined the Board in May 2022 and has extensive experience as a non-Executive Director in the sector. He is currently Head of Intermediate Rent and Agency Services at Network Homes Ltd. He is Chartered Surveyor (FRICS) and he is highly qualified, including MCIOB and a Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) memberships along with being a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing. Charles also has an MSc in Surveying and an MBA, specialising in Finance and Strategic Management

Kalwant Grewal

Kalwant joined the Board in May 2022 and is currently in a senior leadership role for one of the largest NHS Trusts in England where he contributes to shaping, designing and influencing healthcare outcomes for the local population including for children, young people and adults. He operates at strategic, operational, and financial leadership levels and has considerable board and committee level experience. Prior to this he was part of the senior leadership team for a well-known national charity for Older People.

Earlier in his career Kalwant spent several years as an elected school governor in primary and secondary schools and local authority settings, including as Parent Governor Representative for all primary schools within his borough. He worked closely with Head Teachers, Ofsted Inspectors, Local Authority Leaders, and elected Councillors and helped to shape education strategy and address inequality outcomes for his local community. Kalwant also currently serves as Board Member for a Law Centre and is hugely passionate about addressing housing needs and delivering real social value to communities.

Rosemarie Jenkins

Rosemarie joined the Board in May 2023 and sits on the Development Committee. Rosemarie is currently working for Camden Council, leading and managing a large multi-disciplinary team to deliver the Council’s largest regeneration project. Whilst her career spans 40 years, Rosemarie has spent over 25 of these working on projects from conception to completion for council’s, housing associations and the private sector. Rosemarie has a Post Graduate Diploma in Social Policy and Administration and is a RICS qualified Construction Project Manager.

Her specialities are financial appraisal modelling and monitoring, consultation and engagement, risk management, sustainable design and maximising economic and personal value for local people out of contracts delivered on behalf of council’s.

Rosemarie has sat on a number of not for profit boards that specialise in housing provision of single people in London and the Midlands, having worked for periods of time with street homeless people in Central London and those experiencing mental health issues in Lambeth. Rosemarie’s drive is to see regenerated areas in London holding onto its multi-dimensional communities (which is often its attraction) to offer more genuinely affordable housing and integrated spaces for all.

Gwen Godfrey

Gwen is a retired solicitor. She specialised in banking and finance and has widespread experience of corporate lending and property finance, acting variously for banks and borrowers. Her non-executive experience includes roles as the vice chair of Octavia Housing, a trustee of the Octavia Foundation and a governor on the Education Governing Body of Young Epilepsy. Gwen joined the Board in September 2023.

Mike May

Mike is an experienced Chartered Construction Manager and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building. Having trained as an Architect, Mike has been working in the building industry for over 45 years, with major contractors and developers in both the private and public sectors. He has held the post of Construction Director at major housebuilders such as St George (Berkeley Group), Fairclough Homes and Laing Homes before moving into the public sector with Peabody, Southern Homes (12 years) and lately with A2Dominion where he has been the Construction Director for the past 6 years. He has previous Board experience with Guilford College and Mount Green Housing Association. Mike will join the Board in September 2024

Fred Keegan

Fred has a strong background at director level in delivering homes across a range of tenures, with a major focus on the delivery of affordable homes. This experience has included leading teams, sourcing land opportunities, securing residential led planning consents, procuring consultants, contractors and development partners, and project management. Extensive experience in negotiating and managing joint venture (JV) delivery vehicles has been an important element of Fred’s experience in delivering homes and he has held board positions on a number of these JVs. Fred has also had significant programme management experience and, in a previous role at the Greater London Authority, established a specialist team overseeing the delivery of project finance to a range of public and private sector partners, thereafter delivering the programmes associated with this lending. Fred will join the Board in September 2024.

Liz Geary FCIPD

Liz Geary is an experienced HR leader and manager who has worked in a variety of organisations, and across the public and private sectors, over the last 30 years. Organisations include a Multi-Academy Trust, a research and teaching Institute and a large London FE college, as well as Origin Housing and two local authorities. Liz became a Fellow of the CIPD in 2004 and gained a Certificate in Executive Coaching and Mentoring through the ILM. She has managed multi-disciplinary teams, with remits covering all aspects of HR, and has led numerous change projects including a merger, restructures, the establishment of a shared services company and office moves. Liz joined the Board in June 2024.

About Sapphire