Our Group Board
Deirdre has worked in the insurance industry for over twenty five years with FTSE 100 companies. Specialising in Human Resources, she has led major changes involving large diverse workforces. She has her own HR consultancy company, and also sits on the advisory group of a London-based training company. She has championed diversity issues throughout her career and continues to work in a voluntary capacity in this area. She joined the Peabody Board in June 2017 and the TCH Board in 2019.
Valerie’s background is in Private Equity investment with 3i and the Scottish Development Agency and corporate finance. She is Chief Executive of Stratagem Corporate Finance and Strategy Ltd. Other current roles include being a non-executive director of Baronsmead Venture Trust plc, Fusion Lifestyle Ltd and Treasurer of the British Science Association, where she chairs the Investment Committee. Past appointments include Chair of the Council of the University of Kent and Deputy Chair of the Committee of University Chairs. She joined the TCH Board in 2017 and is a member of TCH’s Nominations Committee, Customer Service Committee,sits on both Peabody’s and TCH’s Audit & Risk Committees.
Bob joined Town & Country as Chief Executive in October 2010. Prior to this he successfully led a number of major organisations in both the public and private sectors and has more than 30 years’ experience in the construction and social housing sectors. He has had extensive experience in regeneration projects and is a quantity surveyor by profession. Joined 2010.
Gaylene has held a number of senior finance leadership roles including Head of Treasury at British Airways plc, Group Tax and Treasury Director at Kingfisher plc and is currently Group Corporate Finance Director at Centrica plc.. Gaylene is also a Trustee for the children’s charity, Dreamflight , and has a passion for organisations which deliver social value. Gaylene joined the TCH Board in 2017 and is a member of the TCH Audit and Risk Committee and the Peabody Finance and Treasury Committee.
Kim works in a private school where she manages a boarding house for 60 international students from over 45 countries around the globe. The role is a wide and varied one, with the primary purpose of looking after the health and welfare needs of all the students. She is responsible for all the domestic staff and the smooth running of this large, busy house, it is very culturally diverse, where every day is both challenging and rewarding. Kim has also been a teaching assistant and has worked in a variety of roles in local schools, as well as working for the local police force and at one time running her own business. She has been a tenant of TCH since 1998. Kim is also a Member of TCH’s Customer Services Committee. Joined 2014.
Paul has over 30 years of housing and technical experience at senior level within the public and private sector and most recently as Group Property Director. Since 2008 Paul has worked for Southern Housing Group and Salvation Army Housing Association where he held Director roles for Asset Investment and Group Property, Maintenance & Investment. Amongst many other achievements, Paul formed the G15 Asset Management Directors Group, Chaired the NHF Maintenance Forum and Executive Committees. Paul is a Chartered Surveyor and Chartered Builder and joined the TCH Board in October 2020 and joined the CWR Board in December 2020. He will take over as Chair of CWR in August 2021.
Marianne is a Consultant in Private Equity and other Financial Services and has previously held Director and Senior management positions in New York and London at many large banks such as Standard Chartered, Citigroup and Morgan Stanley. These roles have included Global Emerging Markets, Asset Management, Private Equity and Wealth Management. She has been a member of the Court of the University of Greenwich for a number of years and is a member of the University’s Finance Committee and Chair of their Investment Committee. She also sits on the Advisory Board of Riverpeak Wealth and several charities. Marianne joined TCH in 2014 and is the chair of the Nominations Committee as well as the Development Committee. She is also a member of the Peabody Nominations and Remunerations Committee.
Melanie is a Learning and Development professional employed by a firm of solicitors in Tunbridge Wells. In that role she has responsibilities for the development and implementation of training programmes for the firm and day-to-day management responsibilities within the Learning and Development Team. She is a shared ownership resident. Melanie is also a Member of TCH’s Customer Services Committee. Joined 2018.
Martyn is an ambitious Finance leader with strong commercial acumen who has worked in finance since 1986. In 2005, he joined the grocery giant Sainsbury’s where he held Director and Governance roles between July 2009 – December 2019. His flair for leadership has meant he has consistently delivered improved performance both financially and through people development. Martyn also currently serves as a Non-Executive Board Director and Audit Chair in the NHS for a community trust. He joined the TCH Board in October 2020. Martyn is also the chair of the TCH Audit and Risk Committee.
Iain has over 25 years’ experience in the Housing Sector, originally working for government bodies in both investment and regulatory roles, overseeing Housing Associations. He later moved to Hyde Housing Association where he led the development programme across London before moving to Crest Nicholson and was Managing Director of their Southern region. He moved to Countryside Properties plc to support on their expansion and return to the London Stock Exchange, and was appointed Group Chief Executive in January 2020 and as a member of the Board. Iain left Countryside in January 2022, where he chaired their Executive, Investment, Risk and Health & Safety Committees.
Iain is passionate about people and delivering high levels of customer satisfaction. He led Countryside’s to become a 5*builder and developed strategies to achieve carbon net zero and deliver modern methods of construction by building their own modular factories. He joined the TCH Board in May 2021 and is Chair the TCH Development Committee as well as a member of the Group Development Committee.
Susan joined in October 2019 and has a background in business transformation gained in a variety of industries. In 2019 she stepped down as Chief Executive of Local Pensions Partnership, a £17bn pension services business supporting 600,000 scheme members. Her experience in housing includes leading housing management and corporate services at High Weald Housing and more recently investing in student, social and private rented housing throughout the UK. Susan is an experienced coach and mentor supporting individuals to unlock their potential and maximise their performance. She is the chair of the Customer Services Committee.
Monson Homes Ltd
Iain McPerson (Chair)
Living Board
Bob Heapy, Chief Executive
Jo Ellis, Operations Director
Colin Lissenden, Development Director
A number of committees focus on the work of specific parts of the group. These include:
Audit & Risk Committee
The Committee is responsible for reviewing and monitoring our internal and external audits, its compliance requirements, risk management systems and internal controls, and statutory accounts and relevant accounting policies for the Group’s Companies.
Nominations Committee
The duties of the Committee relate to the composition of the TCH principal board and committees including succession planning and the review of their effectiveness.
In relation to nomination matters, the Committee:
Provide oversight on the recruitment process for TCH Board Chair and TCH Board Members and recommend the preferred candidates to the TCH Board prior to final approval by the Peabody NRC;
Make recommendations to the TCH Board on the appointment of TCH Vice-Chair, TCH Committee Chairs and the appointment to TCH Committees of TCH Board members;
Ensure and oversee the various board and committee reviews are undertaken, including an external review of Board effectiveness every three years.
Ensure that individual non-executive director skills appraisals are undertaken.
Keep under review the size, composition, competency, knowledge, diversity and membership of the TCH Board and the Committees.
Maintain the succession plan for the Chair, Vice-Chair of the Board and Chairs of Committees and Subsidiaries.
Customer Service Committee
The role of the Committee is to ensure that the Group puts its customers at the heart of all it does and that the Group has policies in place to help it meet its Corporate Strategy aims of providing a choice of good quality homes and services; delivering excellent services tailored to the needs of individual residents with additional support for those who need it and supporting the development of vibrant quality homes and communities. The Committee has responsibility for reviewing the Group’s operational service delivery standards and policies relating to its core landlord services; and ensures that the Group’s resident engagement strategies that support the needs of residents.
Development Committee
Taking into account the TCH Corporate Plan, consider and recommend to the TCH Board (and other boards and committees as required) the Development Strategy and Asset Management Strategy
Keep under review the performance of TCH investment in new homes and development schemes, in accordance with agreed investment appraisal criteria and the progress on delivery against agreed targets
Monitor internal controls and consider changes in development risk, for referral to the TCH Audit and Risk Committee, TCH Board, the Group Audit and Risk Committee or the Peabody Board, as appropriate