Stonewater appoints new Chief Investment Officer

One of the UK’s largest social housing providers, Stonewater, has appointed James Bradbury as its Chief Investment Officer. 

In this newly created role, James will lead the delivery of Stonewater’s responsibilities in relation to health and safety, drive investment in existing homes to ensure they are safe, warm and fit for the future, and help the organisation meet evolving regulatory challenges. 

He will also continue leading Stonewater’s ambitious new development programme, helping meet the growing demand for affordable housing across the country.

James is currently Stonewater’s Group Director of Growth and Development and will be stepping into this new position, joining Stonewater’s Chief Officer Group, from 15th June. He is well-known across the organisation, having been part of the company since its inception in 2015.

“In my current role, I’ve led one of the most ambitious affordable housing development programmes in the UK,” said James. “The programme has been focused on delivering high-quality, sustainable homes that meet the diverse needs of our communities. 

“I’ve spent much of my career at Stonewater and its legacy organisation, Raglan Housing, and I’m proud to have played a part in shaping a development function that delivers more than 1,000 homes each year for customers who desperately need them. Taking on the new Chief Investment Officer role is a great opportunity to continue to drive Stonewater’s ambition and deliver real social impact through place-making.”

James began at Stonewater as a Regional Development Manager in 2015, having previously worked for Raglan housing association. He was then appointed in senior roles overseeing broader regional development projects and held the role of Director of Development Operations from 2019 until his appointment as Group Director of Growth and Development in 2025. 

Jonathan Layzell, Chief Executive, Stonewater said: “James’ appointment into this new role is a natural progression. With over 20 years’ experience in housing and development operations across the full lifecycle of housing delivery, he brings a real depth of insight and expertise.

“His passion for building homes that are energy-efficient, cost-effective and genuinely help people to thrive is exactly what we need in a Chief Investment Officer. It’s great to see our ‘home grown’ talent progress like this and it’s a very well-deserved appointment for James.”

Stonewater have also announced Syka Sheikh as their new Company Secretary, also serving as Group Director of Governance & Assurance, effective from June 22nd. 

The wider team at Stonewater will be working with both James and Syka to support the changes and help them settle into their new roles.