How we are governed
Stonewater is governed by a Board which provides overall strategic direction and ensures that the organisation is meeting its aims and objectives.
The Board, which meets regularly through the year, is supported by two committees and five challenge & assurance panels, which provide detailed governance oversight of different areas of Stonewater’s operations.
All of our committees and challenge & assurance panels include both Board and independent members.
Board members have a wide range of skills and experience that reflect our services, our customers and the size and strength of the business.
Meet our Board ...
Sheila Collins
Chairman Sheila has a wealth of experience in the governance of large complex organisations, as well as that of smaller charities. She has served at board and trustee level across a number of different not-for-profit sectors including roles on the boards of Bournemouth University and McMillan Caring Locally.
A retired solicitor, Sheila also brings a commercial perspective and a passion for the diversity and inclusion agenda.
Sheila was previously Chairman of the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Nicholas Harris
Chief Executive
Nicholas became Stonewater’s CEO in 2016, having been chief executive of Raglan Housing Association since January 2010.
Previous to this, he held the CEO position at Raven Housing Trust for seven years and was also Group Operations Director for the Swaythling Housing Group for seven years.
He has extensive experience in both the social housing sector and local authorities and considerable knowledge of socio-economic regeneration matters.
Jennifer Bennet
Chair of Nominations and Remuneration Committee, Chair of Governance and Assurance Challenge and Assurance Panel
During her career as a solicitor working for clients in the social housing sector, Jennifer specialised in governance, securitisation, asset management and leasehold law.
She has also held a number of voluntary roles including a Non-Executive Director of Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust; an Independent Member of Winchester City Council Standards Committee; a Non-Executive Director of Parity Trust, which provides loan finance for community-based projects and a Trustee of the Roberts Centre, a charity providing housing support in Portsmouth.
She is a founding member of Portsmouth Housing Community Trust established in 2019.
Claire Kearney
Chair of Technology Challenge and Assurance Panel
After more than 20 years’ experience in publishing and education, Claire now works as an independent technology consultant, championing a user-centric approach to the provision of digitally enabled products and services.
She has significant experience in the creation and implementation of digital solutions that align with strategic aims, promoting high standards of technology governance through committee experience.
Heather Bowman
Heather is an experienced executive and non-executive director having worked in social housing and the third sector for over 35 years. Most recently she was Chief Operating Officer at Sovereign, one of the largest Housing Associations, and is currently a board member with Raven Housing Trust and the Housing Plus Group.
She is passionate that safe, secure, and good quality homes in great places give individuals, families and communities choices and opportunities to thrive.Finance
Juliana Crowe
Chair of Customer Experience Challenge and Assurance Panel
Juliana has over 25 years’ experience working in the social housing sector, most recently as housing director for a large Midlands-based housing group. Previously, she worked for the London Boroughs of Southwark, Tower Hamlets and Greenwich.
She is a member of the European Structural Investments Funds Sub Committee and has also been Chair of the CIH West Midlands Board and a Trustee of HACT. In her spare time, Juliana is helping to build a school in Ghana, in memory of her father.
Andrew Lawrence
Chair of Risk and Assurance Committee
Andrew is a chartered accountant with a special interest in corporate governance, strategic leadership, risk management, cultural change and innovation. Formerly a finance director in the commercial and international development sectors, he now has a portfolio of non-executive director roles in organisations whose purposes he feels passionate about.
Andrew is Chair of Bron Afon Community Housing, a community mutual social enterprise in South Wales, Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee of the Intellectual Property Office and a director of New Wine Cymru.
Chris Edis
Chair of Stonewater Funding plc, Chair of Finance Challenge and Assurance Panel
Chris is a chartered accountant with extensive experience in top-tier financial services institutions.
An experienced executive and finance director, Chris is currently the CFO of Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets plc, bringing experience in strategy, treasury, liquidity, and capital management.
Angus Michie
Chair of Assets and Development Challenge and Assurance Panel, Chair of Stonewater Developments Limited, Chair of Stonewater Commercial Limited
Angus is a qualified chartered surveyor with 30 years’ experience in the residential development industry. He has a real passion for creating places for people to live that are attractive, well designed and sustainable.
Angus spent 25 years with the Berkeley Group. As Divisional Chairman of a number of their operating businesses in London, the South East and the Midlands, he was responsible for a number of the group's joint ventures with the Prudential and various local authorities. Angus is the Managing Director of SevenCapital, which is a developer of residential and mixed use communities across London, the Midlands and the South East.Finance
Hursh Shah
Hursh is a qualified accountant and finance professional with treasury, capital market and corporate finance experience. He is currently Head of Capital Markets at British Land responsible for managing existing finance and raising new finance and manages relationships with stakeholders including debt investors and rating agencies.
He has also been involved in the formation and operations of joint ventures between British Land and its partners and is a director for a number of these joint ventures.evelopment
Barry Hoffman
Barry is an experienced FTSE group HR director with an MBA and corporate governance expertise. With a track record in change management and HR, both in the UK and globally, he has developed a strong focus on delivering shareholder value and driving transformational change.
Barry is also an experienced non-executive director, having supported boards on governance, executive succession, remuneration and organisational change.
Martin Large
Chair of Greenoak Housing Association Ltd
Martin is the current chair of Greenoak Housing Association Ltd, which joined Stonewater Group in 2023. He is also Chair of Mount Green and Greenoak’s Common Board and has significant senior management and board experience in the housing sector.
This includes his work as the former CEO of GLE Group (London Local Authorities’ regeneration and business investment, development and services group), former non-executive director roles at Pocket Living Ltd and Selwood Housing Society Ltd, and as the former vice-chair at Hexagon Housing Association.
Chief Officer Group
Stonewater’s Chief Officer Group manages the day to day running of the business.
Nicholas Harris
Chief Executive
Nicholas became Stonewater’s CEO in 2016, having been chief executive of Raglan Housing Association since January 2010.
Previous to this, he held the CEO position at Raven Housing Trust for seven years and was also Group Operations Director for the Swaythling Housing Group for seven years.
He has extensive experience in both the social housing sector and local authorities and considerable knowledge of socio-economic regeneration matters.
Jonathan Layzell
Chief Officer for Customer Experience and Growth
Jonathan has an extensive background in delivering new homes with a particular personal interest in rural housing and the long-term sustainability of rural communities. He is also interested in how Registered Providers can use investment in new homes to support the growth of the construction sector as well as the wider economy. Jonathan is responsible for the strategic delivery of Stonewater’s housing development programmes, including the implementation of innovative affordable rental and shared ownership schemes. Stonewater’s development programme is strong, ambitious, and among the largest in the sector. Jonathan's role was expanded in July 2024 to include leadership of the Customer Experience Directorate (until January 2025). He will share responsibilities between Development and Customer Experience under this arrangement. He has a wealth of experience in delivering transformational change within the social housing sector and has worked as Stonewater’s Executive Sponsor for Equality and Diversity. His extensive experience in social housing and focus on social purpose will ensure Stonewater delivers positive outcomes for our customers.
Patrick Chauvin
Chief Officer Safety, Assets and Sustainability
Patrick is a highly experienced property and asset management professional. He has held senior management positions across a range of disciplines within the housing sector, including Director of Asset Services at Amicus Horizon and Head of Strategic Portfolio at Circle.
He’s a qualified building surveyor with extensive experience in housing and construction. His career began in private practice, working for high profile clients on construction projects.
From there he moved into the housing sector, working on City Challenge in Newham. He then held a number of senior positions within Home Group, one of the largest housing associations in the UK. From there he moved to Amicus Horizon and was part of the Executive Management Team that transformed it into one of the highest performing organisations. He was then appointed to a senior position within Circle Housing as Head of Strategic Portfolio and was subsequently appointed Head of Neighbourhood Planning for Clarion Housing Group, the largest Housing Association in the UK.
Anne Costain
Chief Financial Officer
Anne is a qualified Chartered Accountant and Corporate Treasurer. She has worked in housing for over 10 years at a senior level.
Before working in housing, Anne worked in manufacturing for a number of organisations from SME to Fortune 500 and FTSE 250 – latterly as Finance Director for De la Rue in their Currency and Supply Chain division.ance
Gareth Lloyd
Chief Information and Transformation Officer
Gareth joined Stonewater as Chief Information & Transformation Officer in 2023, bringing 18 years' experience as a CIO, COO and CDO in both the private and public sectors, working in the UK and internationally. He has previously served as a non-executive director for a social housing group in the South West.
His experience includes high profile data programmes, sustainable digital transformation, Internet of Things programmes and Mergers and Acquisitions. He has a keen interest in using tech and data for social good.
Sue Shirt
Personal leave until January 2025
Sue has worked at an executive level in a range of organisations and has dedicated her career to improving and modernising housing services and driving organisations to challenge their service delivery to meet the changing expectations of customers. Her focus is to ensure that we always demonstrate respect for those we serve and for each other, and that the customer remains central to decision making. Sue was part of the team that created Stonewater, focusing in particular on the development of customer-facing services and tenant scrutiny. Prior to this, her roles included housing consultant for a range of organisations, managing director for a rural LSVT and head of service in a former coalfield regeneration area. She is a graduate in Economics, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing and a Member of the Chartered Management Institute. Sue is also a trustee for a domestic violence charity.