Four of the 13 places on Southern Housing’s board are exclusively reserved for residents. We believe this figure is unsurpassed by large housing associations and reflects our belief that the very top of our organisation should be connected with our residents.
Billy is the Chair of our Resident Strategy Group and is already on Tpas’ (England’s leading tenant engagement experts) board of directors. He has been a Southern Housing resident for 12 years and joined us as an involved resident in 2020.
Billy says having four residents at “the top table” means there are more “diverse perspectives” which is vitally important, and he looks forward to influencing positive change.
Billy (pictured left below) added: “It’s a really crucial time in the housing sector and there’s a lot of change happening. I feel very humbled to have been given this opportunity.”
Mark (pictured right above) has worked within the housing sector for 38 years after graduating from Edinburgh University in 1986.
His most recent position was as an executive director of property at Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing Association (MTVHA) between December 2017 to June 2024. Mark led a directorate of 480 people, including 200 operatives within MTVHA’s in-house maintenance team.
Following his retirement, Mark was keen to join the board of a large housing association and share his wealth of experience in housing as contractor, consultant and client.
He highlighted the huge investment Southern Housing is making in its existing homes over the coming years and feels his background will help in ensuring this money is spent well to maximise the value of Southern’s investment.
Mark added: “I couldn’t imagine stopping work completely when I retired from full time employment and I’m proud, humbled and excited to have been invited to join the board of Southern Housing. I’m looking forward to working with all stakeholders in Southern and I’d like to think that anybody who knows me would say that I am really focussed on the sector's customers and the homes they live in.”