Executive and Senior Leadership Team

Yvette Carter | Executive Director Commercial

Yvette joined the Group in 2019 to lead our newly created Commercial Directorate which covers Southern Maintenance Services (our inhouse repairs and maintenance service), Spruce Homes (our private rent business), Southern Housing Construction (our in-house construction company), Estate Care (inhouse caretaking and estate maintenance service) and Commercial Property. 

Yvette has previously worked with Mears Group PLC and has a breadth of experience at senior level across many sectors.

Chris Harris | Executive Director Customer Services 

Chris joined Southern Housing Group in 2015. As a member of the Group’s Executive Management Team, Chris is responsible for setting the strategic direction for Customer Services. He leads a team that provides customer, property, and residential services, along with community, financial and employment and training support to a huge wide range of people. With a strong focus on delivering excellent customer service, he also ensures that the Group meets the digital needs of our residents.

Amanda Holgate | Executive Director Resources

Amanda joined the Group in 2019 and is responsible for several departments including: Human Resources; Information Technology; Governance; Operational and Corporate Finance.

Amanda’s previous experience includes two significant roles within the housing sector, most recently at Peabody as Finance Services Director and at Family Mosaic. She also has 20 years’ experience in financial, commercial and infrastructure support roles across a wide range of industry sectors including manufacturing and wholesale, technology consulting, retail and financial services.

Alan Townshend | Group Chief Executive

Alan has over 31 years of experience in the affordable housing sector, working with both public and private companies and running his own consultancy firm. Alan became chief executive in September 2018, having previously been Group Development Director for three years. Prior to joining the Group, Alan worked at Wandle Housing, initially joining as its Asset Investment Director before being appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer and overseeing the operational and strategic side of the business. His other roles include seven years at Circle Group as Group Regional Operations Director.

Alan is a member of the Chartered Institute of Housing.

Jenny Poore | HR Director

Jenny is responsible for the strategy and delivery of all things people related for the Group. This includes providing expert advice and guidance via the HR Business Partner team; leading on Equality, Diversity & Inclusion; design and roll out of learning and development interventions; and delivery of a range of HR Services across the Group including payroll and benefits.  Prior to joining the Group in 2015, Jenny was HR Director in several different Further Education Colleges and at Sussex Police as well as an extensive career in national and regional roles for Royal Mail within Human Resources and communications. Jenny is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Jason Wickens | Chief Information Officer

Jason leads the Groups’ technology and data functions which form a key part of the Groups’ growth strategy. He is responsible for developing and delivering our digital strategy which will make it easier for our customers to interact with us and enable our colleagues to provide enhanced service through a variety of channels. Prior to joining the Group, Jason worked across numerous sectors including financial services, retail, housing, and not-for-profit. He is qualified in numerous transformation disciplines including Six Sigma, Lean and Agile.

Liz Williams | Director of Strategy & Policy

Liz has been with the Group for nearly ten years working on key initiatives including the Group’s welfare reform response project. After taking a pivotal role in the Group’s transformational change programme – Building our Future, Liz now leads the Group’s Strategy and Policy teams which include our Group Portfolio Management team, Business Intelligence, Group Policy and Insight and Business Change functions.