Wandle is overseen by a Board which meets regularly throughout the year. The Board is responsible for setting our strategic direction, establishing policies and setting out the plans to achieve our key objectives. It provides sound systems of control and a framework of delegation to the Executive Directors and our employees.
The Board monitors how we deliver services to residents and reviews performance and policies. Members are responsible for ensuring that we are a well-run, efficient and properly governed organisation. Appointed through a formal procedure, they have wide-ranging expertise and come from diverse backgrounds.
The Wandle Board currently consists of 12 members and meets formally at least six times a year. Members also serve on the Asset Investment, People, Audit and Risk, Treasury, or Customer Experience Committees.
Wandle has adopted the National Housing Federation’s Code of Governance. A copy of the Code of Governance is available on request by writing to our Company Secretary.
Dr Valerie Vaughan-Dick, MBE FRCGP (Hon). Chair of the Board
Dr Vaughan-Dick MBE (PhD) has worked at a senior level in the public, private and voluntary sectors. Valerie is presently the Chief Executive Officer at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). RIBA is a global professional membership body, serving more than 57,000 members. Their aim is to create better buildings, stronger communities and a more sustainable environment for people to live in.
Valerie was previously the Chief Operating Officer (formerly titled Chief Executive Officer) of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP). The RCGP is the membership organisation for 54,000 GPs and works extensively to be the voice of General Practice and improve patient care in the UK and internationally. She led staff across the organisation in the UK and internationally and joined the RCGP in 2014 initially as the Executive Director of Planning and Resources.
Valerie started her career with the National Audit Office where she qualified as an accountant. She worked on value for money and financial audits of the Departments of Health & Social Security, Overseas Services, Local Government and Housing. Valerie has been an Executive Finance and Resources Director in central and local government, working on financial and strategic management issues and has extensive housing experience. She has been a Managing Director for a Housing Association, worked as a senior manager at the Housing Corporation and been involved in audits of Housing Associations whilst at the National Audit Office.
She was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Honours list in June 2022 and made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners in February 2023. In March 2024, Valerie was named in Dezeen’s list of the 50 most influential women in architecture and design.
Member of People Committee
Andy McWilliams. Vice Chair of the Board, Chair of Customer Experience Committee
Andy is an experienced multi-channel retailer and has worked at director level for a number of major retailers including Ocado.com, B&Q and Home Retail Group.
He provides senior board level consultancy and interim support for those organisations seeking to maximise their eCommerce and customer service operations.
Member of People Committee and of Audit and Risk Committee
James Pennington. Chair of Delta
James has worked in development for over 20 years for both Housing Associations as well as National House Builders in the private sector.
James is currently Group Development and Investment Director at Crest Nicholson, and a former director of development at Radian Housing where he was responsible for managing their Development Programme, leading the development and sales teams, and leading the Help to Buy Agency for The Radian Group.
Jo Hills. Chair of Ravensbourne Ltd
Jo is a Fellow of both the Institution of Civil Engineers and Chartered Management Institute, with extensive experience as an engineer and director in sustainability, construction and maintenance across the charitable, public and commercial sectors.
She has been a member of the National Housing Foundation’s Quality of Existing Homes national group and most recently was Director of Estate/Assets Sustainability at Deloitte.
Member of Asset Investment Committee and of Customer Experience Committee
Julie Blair. Chair of People Committee
Julie is our Chair of the People Committee and joined Wandle’s Board in February 2023, with over 18 year’s experience in the housing sector, working for organisations including the Home Group, Affinity Sutton and the Circle Group.
Julie has 27 years’ experience in HR and transformation, including extensive experience across the private sector and also has a background in retail, logistics, oil and education. Within the Circle Group, Julie led business transformation and merger integration with Circle Housing and Clarion.
Julie is presently the Executive Director of Corporate Services at Look Ahead where she joined in 2016, previously as their Director of People. At Look Ahead she leads governance, people, communications, business transformation and IT. Julie initiated the Move Forward transformation programme, which is now starting its third phase.
Member of Audit and Risk Committee.
Paul Phillips. Chair of Audit and Risk Committee
Paul is chair of the Audit and Risk Committee and has an extensive career in the housing sector. From 2004 to 2018, he was the Group Finance Director of Notting Hill Housing Group and, following its merger with Genesis Housing Association, he became the Chief Financial Officer of the new group until his retirement in July 2021.
Paul is also a Board member of the Salvation Army Housing Association. He is a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
Member of Treasury Committee
Zoë Shaw. Senior Independent Director, Chair of Treasury Committee
Zoë has over 30 years of experience in Investment Banking, Treasury and Fund Management. Her previous executive roles include Head of Fixed Income at Federated Hermes, Founder and Managing Partner of New Bond Street Asset Management LLP and the General Manager of a German Merchant Bank, Bankgesellschaft – Berlin. Most recently she was Head of Credit & Portfolio Management at ThinCats, a Fintech lender to SMEs, and Head of Credit for the Fintech company, SportsFi. Zoë has extensive experience in risk management having managed portfolios of £30 billion and been a member of the risk committees of major City institutions.
Member of Audit and Risk Committee
Fiona Hollingsworth.
Fiona is the Director of Growth and Partnerships, and a member of the Executive Team for the housing association CHP. CHP are a housing association who own 12,000 homes in Essex. Fiona oversees the CHP development, sales and partnership programme which includes for-profit partnerships with M&G, LGAH and Octopus Affordable Housing. Fiona also oversees CHP’s market sale development programme through CHP’s subsidiary Myriad Homes.
Before joining CHP Fiona was Head of Housing and Growth at Capital Letters, an organisation which works in partnership with London councils and private landlords to help homeless families find secure, settled homes. Prior to this, Fiona worked for both Camden and Lambeth councils managing housing needs and housing management services.
Fiona is also an Independent Member of Watmos Community Homes Resident Committee.
Member of Asset and Investment Committee.
John Baldwin.
John has over 30 years’ experience of working in the Social Housing sector with 12 years in Executive roles including as CEO.
John has led merger and transformation programs as well as establishing and running commercial and not for profit operations. John was an early adopter of Service Design into the sector and has developed operating models and strategy which focus on outcomes for the end user.
John is currently the Managing Director of Co-op Homes South.
Member of Asset and Investment Committee, and of Audit and Risk Committee.
Justin Gyphion.
Justin joined Wandle’s Board in March 2023 and is a qualified barrister, Called to the Bar of England and Wales at the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn in 2003.
Having since veered away from the practise of law, Justin has worked for a number of the world’s elite commercial law firms within the HR and talent acquisition space, including Magic Circle firms Linklaters and Slaughter and May. He is currently the Global Head of Talent Acquisition for Tier 1-rated class actions litigation boutique, Pogust Goodhead.
Justin’s main focus is on all things people-related, and he is a passionate advocate for equality, diversity and inclusion. He holds the Hogan Assessments Certification, allowing him to administer a range of psychometric assessments from the Hogan suite, giving him deep insight into individuals’ motives, values, preferences and development areas.
Outside his employed work, Justin is a Director of Llewod Consultancy Services Ltd, through which he has worked on various private consultancy projects in areas such as HR and talent acquisition strategy and operations, employer branding, EVP, people-related governance, drafting employment terms and conditions and HR policies and procedures, advising on pre-engagement screening, managing ATS implementation, and providing training and guidance on best practice in the HR and Talent Acquisition spaces.
Justin is also Chair of the Board of Trustees for a leading charity (the Mulwade Foundation) and is a trained and current Mental Health First Aider and St John Ambulance First Aider.
Member of the Customer Experience Committee, and of the Asset Investment Committee.
Nadira Hussain.
An established IT and change management leader, NED and coach with 30 years’ experience, Nadira has worked primarily in local government; leading the IT and digital service, managing wider teams including business improvement, transformation and customer services. Nadira has implemented numerous complex change programmes across shared services to deliver new operating models, efficiencies and service improvement.
At Socitm, Nadira is supporting members shape and deliver effective public services through improved use and adoption of digital, data and technology (DDaT) solutions and practices. Her key motivation is to improve outcomes for people and communities in places. She continues to focus on the work she initiated as president of the society (15/16); building the leadership, skills and diversity of the sector’s workforce. Her passion is to tackle inequality, promote professionalism, improve personal development opportunities and champion women role models.
Her wider responsibilities include non-exec director roles for Federation for Informatics Professionals (FEDIP) advisory board, Institute of Government and Public Policy (IGPP), Solace in Business (SiB) Board and Wandle (housing association). Her voluntary and charitable work include; Advisory group member for the Shuri Network, the Solace EDI forum, co-founder and co-chair of the Socitm/UKAuthority Women in Local Government IT network, and Executive Committee member of the Major Cities of Europe (MCE) forum. Nadira has also been appointed as a member of the People Committee.
Twitter handle @nadirahussain44 www.socitm.net
Member of People Committee.
Anne Waterhouse. Chief Executive
Anne became Wandle Housing Association’s Chief Executive in April 2023 and is a Co-optee to Wandle’s Board.
Anne joined Wandle from A2Dominion, where she had been for 16 years, holding a variety of senior roles – including as interim CEO in 2021/22, and most recently as Deputy CEO and Executive Director (Central & Financial Services).
Anne has a proven track record within the housing sector and will be responsible for undertaking the delivery of Wandle’s corporate strategic plan to 2025, to ensure that Wandle continues to support people across south London who need a home.