Management and governance

Stonewater is governed by a Board, the role of which is to provide overall strategic direction and ensure that the organisation is meeting its aims and objectives.

The Chief Officer Group manages the day to day running of the business.

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

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	Chairman: Sheila Collins 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.
	CEO: Nicholas Harris Nicholas became Stonewater’s CEO in 2016, having been CEO of Raglan Housing Association since January 2010. Previous to this, he held the CEO position at Raven Housing Trust for seven years and was 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 in socio-economic regeneration matters.
	Jennifer Bennett 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 matters, securitisation, asset management and leasehold law. She has also held a number of voluntary roles including, as 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 registered charity providing housing and support to families and children 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.
	Juliana Crowe Chair of Customer Experience Challenge & Assurance Panel Juliana has over 25 years’ experience working in the social housing sector, most recently as the 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 (ESIF) in Worcestershire. She has extensive experience at all levels of asset management, estate and housing management of inner city estates and rural affordable homes, with expertise in building sustainable communities. She has previously been the Chair of the CIH West Midlands Board, a Trustee of HACT. In her spare time, Juliana is helping to build a school in the upper region of 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 in which he is passionate about the organisational purpose. 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 & Assurance Panel Chair of Stonewater Developments Limited Chair of Stonewater Commercial Limited Angus is a qualified chartered surveyor in the planning and development discipline 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.
	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 director for a number of these joint ventures.
	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 Martin is the current chair of Greenoak Housing Association Ltd, which joined Stonewater Group in 2023. He holds 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.